Rainbow Shooter
by xWishfulThinking
Summary: For Gokudera, his first love comes to him as a strange, blind girl with invisible connections to the Mafia, some of which she doesn't even know about. At first, he is wary, and with a right to be, as her past is a mystery, even to her. But maybe, just maybe, she has some good features about her. Gokudera/OC
1. Unseen

**Episode 1: Unseen  
><strong>**"In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee? In inches, in miles, in laugher, in strife? In 525,600 minutes, how do you measure a year in the life?"  
><strong>**-"Seasons of Love" from ****_Rent_**

* * *

><p>"Ouch!"<p>

"I'm so sorry. Please excuse me." I moved out of the way of the person I'd run into. I felt a glare on my back, but didn't turn around to see if they were. I couldn't, anyway. I was born blind. Finally, after I ran into four more people and three walls, two doors, and a wall, I made it to my classroom and took my seat.

A loud voice interrupted my thought process almost as soon as I'd sat down. "_Hey!_ What the hell are you doing in Juudaime's seat?!" I would've looked up, but by the voice, I could tell it was Hayato Gokudera, a classmate of mine with a rough temper. He usually hung around Tsunayoshi Sawada, a weak boy with a kind heart, and Takeshi Yamamoto, who was the school's reining baseball star. "Get up, woman!" he yelled.

I quickly stood up from the desk and bowed. My voice escaped as well as I apologized, "I'm really sorry, Sawada-san. I didn't realize that I was in the wrong seat."

He quickly replied, "It's fine! I mean, it happens to everyone at some point or another." His words made me giggle, feeling a little better about my mistake. There was a pause, then Tsuna asked, "Oh… you're Najika Kamiya, right?" I nodded, a little surprised he knew my name, seeing as I never socialized with anyone from the class.

"Yes… that's my name," I smiled softly.

Tsuna chuckled. "You're a transfer from Kokuyo?" Again, I nodded, somewhat surprised at his knowledge. I could feel my eyes growing a little wider with "Um… You can call me Tsuna if you want."

I smiled. "That's fine. But you can call me Najika, then." I then realized I was in front of him. "Oh, you probably want to sit down. I'm sorry." Moving to the right, I fell a little, teetering when I hit someone.

A rough voice growled, "Watch just where it is you're going." I bit my lip, slightly scared of the person I'd bumped in to.

"Oh… I'm sorry." Straightening myself up, I calculated where my seat was. If I had sat in Tsuna's seat, my desk would be right behind his. Smiling proudly and running my hand along the desk until I reached the desk, I sat in my own seat, preparing for class.

"Um… sorry to ask, but what's wrong? You seem to be… running into things an awful lot," Tsuna pointed out. "You bumped into Gokudera-kun just there." So that was who I ran into.

I looked down, biting my lip. I'd thought people would've known. So I began, "Well… Tsuna-kun, you've noticed that I take different tests than you, right?" I didn't hear an answer, even when I paused for at least a minute. "Um… I'll take that as a no."

Tsuna protested, "But I shook my head 'no'!" So he had answered; just not in a way that I could translate.

"That's the thing, Tsuna-kun. I can't see it. I'm blind. I've been this way since I can remember." I looked in his direction as he gasped.

He stuttered out, "I-I'm sorry, Najika-chan." I shook my head, a bitter smile coming over my face.

It was like I couldn't stop speaking after I started. Something about Tsunayoshi Sawada made me feel like I could trust him, maybe more than I trusted anyone ever in my life.

"You see, I've always felt… inferior to you people. You know, the people you can see. That's why I transferred. Kokuyo had special classes for people with disabilities. But I wanted to be normal, so I transferred here. A friend helped me with the papers." I laughed shakily and heard the door open. "Looks like Sensei's here," I muttered, cutting the topic short.

Tsuna yelped and I heard him take his seat, nearly tripping over his own feet as he did so. I let out a small giggle.

The class went by fast, and I understood everything but math, since I had to be able see the numbers to actually solve the problems, something that I struggled with, clearly. Lunchtime was next.

"Najika-chan?" A voice asked. I spun to try and find Tsuna, who had spoken. "I'm right here," he said, putting a hand on my shoulder to turn me around. "Now… um… would you like to eat lunch in here? With us?" he asked quietly. "I mean… I just… Yamamoto-kun said that he'd seen you sitting alone in the corner everyday… so I wanted to know if you wanted company…"

I smiled a bit, again surprised by his consideration of my feelings. "It does get quite lonely sometimes… So sure, thank you so much, Tsuna-kun." He gently took my hand and led me over to the desk that the three of them ate around, sitting me down in a chair. I fumbled around with my bag, finally opening the latch and pulling out my lunch. "So… who is sitting where?"

Yamamoto's friendly voice cheerfully replied, "I'm to your left, Yamamoto. To your right is Gokudera, and across from you is Tsuna." I nodded, sending a soft smile at the group of three, and proceeded to eat my food as the minutes of our lunch period ticked away.

Nothing of interest happened at lunch. Unless I could count Yamamoto and Tsuna playing Twenty Questions, asking me things like what my favorite color was or when my birthday was, or Gokudera yelling at Yamamoto for interrupting Tsuna and Tsuna making excuses to get them to stop, then it was perfectly normal. I'd finally found some friends, who were… relatively normal and relatively nice. Even if they were a bit strange, I was very happy with having three people to talk to.

But what happened after school was much more interesting than lunch. Tsuna and my houses were within walking distance of each other, as we'd found out when Yamamoto asked where I lived in Namimori. As I was about to say that I'd see him at school on Monday, Tsuna yelped in surprise. I heard a loud crash and a moan of pain. I'd guessed that someone had knocked Tsuna down.

"Dame-Tsuna!" a childish, baby-like voice scolded. "You failed your test again today. You need to try harder!"

Tsuna, from his place on the ground, wailed, "Reborn! I am trying! Please, don't kick me like that anymore! It hurts…"

Stifling a giggle at his high-pitched, squeaky, pain-filled voice, I asked, "Tsuna-kun, are you alright?"

I extended my hand to help him up, but he weakly said, "Najika-chan… I'm all the way over here…" I faltered, blinking a few times before turning to the direction where I heard his voice come from.

The person, who was apparently named Reborn, asked, "Is this another one for your Family, Tsuna?" Despite Tsuna's protests, he directed his words at me and said, "She's blind… But she'll do. Welcome to the Vongola Family. This is the world of the Mafia."

I tilted my head, appearing confused, and asked, "Mafia? Aren't those stories only rumors? What's a Vongola Family?"

In response, the babyish voice laughed a little. "Yamamoto-kun and Gokudera-kun are in the family, along with Kyoko-chan and Hibari. Sasagawa, Haru, Lambo, Fuuta, Bianchi, and I-Pin are Family members, too. A Family is a group of people that surround and support a Boss," Reborn explained. I nodded, all the information processing in my mind, even though I didn't really understand it. Reborn simply demanded, "Are you a part?"

I laughed. "I guess I am… If all of Tsuna-kun's friends are part of his Family, then I guess I am, too! Unless Tsuna-kun says otherwise…"

Tsuna immediately said, "No! I mean, of course! Yes, you're a part of the Family! I mean, yeah, you're a friend!" I laughed at his desperate attempts to come up with an answer that would be correct, but kind at the same time. "Aw… that was a trick question, wasn't it?" he whined.

As I attempted to stop laughing at poor Tsuna, I managed to cough out, "No, of course not! Anyways… why don't we hang out tomorrow? You'll have to pick me up; I can't see where my house is compared to yours." Tsuna quickly agreed and I bid him farewell.

**X Tsunayoshi Sawada X**

Tsuna was never one for asking anyone, especially a _girl_ to be in the family without asking their permission. In fact, he didn't like it at all. But Najika seemed to accept it without many questions. It was a bit weird to him, since Gokudera was already involved in the Mafia and Yamamoto thought it was a game. What was going through Najika's head was a question to Tsuna. But as he walked with the two, chatting about his father, he realized that perhaps Najika was already in the know about the Mafia.

"Hey, guys?" he asked, suddenly remembering something. Yamamoto and Gokudera turned to him. "I've got to stop at Najika-chan's place. She asked me to pick her up if we went out today, since she won't be able to see us." They both agreed and he ran up to the small house and knocked.

The brown-haired girl answered the door. "Yes? Is that you, Tsuna-kun?"

At first, Tsuna nodded in reply, but he remembered that she couldn't see. "Yeah, it's me. Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun are here, too! Do you want to spend the day with us?" he asked, smiling.

She nodded. "Of course I would! You guys are so nice. Thank you for agreeing to put up with me on your weekend, Tsuna-kun." He smiled at her and nodded. "So, what are you planning to do today?"

"Um… well, we're planning to get all of our friends together and just walk around today. Oh, and I've got exciting… kind of… news! My dad's coming home soon, finally. I just thought you'd want to know… since, you know, Yamamoto-kun and Gokudera-kun are still on about it…"

Najika smiled hesitantly, her grin somewhat strained, and replied, "Wow… It's nice that you get to see your dad… My family is still in Kokuyo. My mom, my dad, and my sister, Akane, all live together in an apartment." Tsuna grinned and led the blind girl over to the other two, who were already on their phones, calling up people. "Who did you guys invite?" she asked curiously.

"Everyone living at Tsuna's, Haru, and Kyoko," Yamamoto said happily.

She grinned, laughing almost incredulously. "How many people do you have at your house, Tsuna-kun?"

He groaned, letting his head hang a little as he replied, "There's around seven… Myself, my mom, I-Pin, Lambo, Fuuta, Bianchi, and Reborn all live in that tiny house… Luckily, a few of them are kids…"

**X Najika Kamiya X**

Tsuna had so many people living with him. I couldn't identify all the voices, since most of the time, they were all speaking at once. It kind of hurt my head. But from what I was told, I-Pin and Lambo were five, Fuuta was around nine, Bianchi had decided not to show up for some unknown reason, Reborn was the person I'd met the day before, Haru was the loud and, according to Gokudera, annoying girl, and, according to Tsuna, Kyoko had the voice of an angel.

So, our whole day was spent attempting to keep Lambo out of trouble, shopping around Namimori for different things, and playing a whole bunch of arcade games.

Fuuta was already calling me "Najika-nee," which I found far too cute to resist. Gokudera and Yamamoto both seemed to lose against Fuuta in the arcade games, while I held onto Fuuta's hand as he taught me how to play the games that I couldn't see.

"Sorry, Fuuta-chan… but it's just not that easy to play while I'm blind," I apologized as we walked out of the arcade. He was gripping onto my hand, holding it tightly with all the strength he had.

His adorable voice squeaked, "It's okay, Najika-nee. You did your best, and you beat Hayato-nii!" I laughed and squeezed his hand, feeling him squeeze back. "You did really good for your first time!" he cheered. I leaned down to give him a hug.

"Thanks, Fuuta-chan."

At the music store, I listened to a whole bunch of albums and bought pair of headphones as well as an album by a Korean Pop Band, SHINee. Inside the Picture Booth, I took my picture with Fuuta, Tsuna, and Reborn, one with just Fuuta, another with Gokudera and Yamamoto, two with Lambo and I-Pin, since Lambo pressed the button twice, and the last one with Kyoko and Haru. I couldn't see them, but I smiled and accepted them as gratefully as possible anyway.

Soon afterwards, it was lunch, so we stopped for some drinks. I nearly panicked as I approached the vending machine. "What do you want?" Gokudera's voice asked from behind me. I squeaked in surprise and jumped. "Really. What do you want to drink? You can't see the numbers, right?"

I sighed. He really was blunt. "Um… I usually get an iced tea." Maybe Gokudera was really nice… The clunk of a can on the bottom of the vending machine tore me away from my thoughts. The can of iced tea was pushed into my hands, albeit gently. "Thanks, Gokudera-kun." He just gave a 'hmph' and walked away.

I sat with Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Haru, with Fuuta sitting on my lap, when a loud noise disrupted us. I could smell smoke coming from where Tsuna was sitting with Kyoko and the kids.

Without thinking, the five of us ran over to where they were, Fuuta tugging me along the whole way. When we got over, I could feel wind, stronger than any I ever had, blowing through the group of us.

Reborn had gotten Kyoko, Haru, and the kids out of danger. Tsuna was freaking out, since this guy was really good, and really scary. But Gokudera and Yamamoto were apparently helping out. I heard a loud bang, and looked around frantically, backing away. I only heard Tsuna's frantic yell of, "Stay away, Najika-chan!" after I bumped into someone. My landing wasn't soft, and I felt a metal point at my throat.

"Voi! Who the hell are you?!" a loud voice demanded. I gulped and could feel the sword point being pushed a little closer. If it came any closer, I was sure it'd draw blood. I let out a whimper, too frightened to speak.

A loud bang made the sword point retract itself from my throat and another voice yelled, "Leave her alone!" Gokudera and Yamamoto had arrived. I looked around, still unable to understand what was happening, struggling away from the blade at my neck.

As if in response to the threat from Yamamoto, someone hauled me over to them and I grabbed onto their arm, clinging to them in fear and shock. I could feel my hands starting to shake. In the background, there were more loud explosions, and the other man, the scary one, was really mad. He was already threatening death on them.

"Please do not!" another new voice warned. This voice was softer, kinder, than the last one. "He is not a person that you can handle!" Tsuna let out a gasp of fear. Apparently, he was the one that dragged me away from the angry swordsman. "He is simply that dangerous!" Tsuna was shaking in fear behind me. I could hear Yamamoto and the other man's swords clanging, and then I heard Yamamoto fall to the ground.

I could hear a bomb, its fuse whittling down to nothing, as Gokudera growled, "You bastard." But the bomb's sizzling was cut off and I could then hear Gokudera being put down. But before the sword could harm Tsuna or me, I heard the other boy run up to fight against the swordsman.

Tsuna let go of me and reached up to grab something. "These gloves!" If I could have reacted in any way other than shaking in fear, I would've stared at him in complete shock.

How were gloves supposed to save us? Weren't gloves used to keep your hands warm?

"Even when your palms get read! Even on a hot summer day!" I could've sworn it was Reborn who was yelling that at Tsuna. "Leave those gloves on!" I gasped as Tsuna stood, wrenching away from my grasp, then stood myself and tried to find my way over to hide. Reborn and Tsuna were arguing pointlessly, and then I heard a painful cry and a thud. The boy who saved us was defeated, and only Tsuna and I were left to fight.

But a loud gunshot interrupted me, and I heard Tsuna yelling, "Reborn! I will defeat the long-hair with my dying will!" I couldn't help but gasp. The swordsman was speaking softly to Tsuna, but then threatened to kill him.

"Tsuna-kun!" I cried, feeling even more useless than ever. Shaking in anger, both at the man who was hurting Tsuna and at myself for being so useless, I bit my lip and backed away a little, wanting to reduce the burden upon my new friends.

I heard Tsuna being thrust into the wall beside me. But he got back up, only to be thrown once again. But after the second hit, he cried, "Not good!" and began to run. More loud explosions rung in my ears and I had to cover them, letting out a scream as I fell from the sonic blasts of the explosions.

"No!" I cried in despair and desperation. "Please don't hurt them!" A sword point was pushed against my throat once again and I whimpered. I felt useless and scared. I couldn't do anything to help.

Another voice rang above me, echoing through the air with a strange authority and severity. "You haven't changed, Superbi Squalo. Getting so serious against children. Aren't you embarrassed?" the voice asked dryly.

"Dino-san!" Tsuna cried out in relief, and I was relieved to know that this new man was an ally.

His name was Dino, of the Cavallone Family, also known as Bucking Bronco Dino. "If you insist on continuing your tasteless little game, I'll take you on."

I thought that the enemy, Squalo, would be smart enough to leave, with all these people fighting against him. Instead, he shouted, "Voi!" and I knew that he wasn't one to give in easily. "It'd be fun to take you on here and now, Bucking Bronco!" Squalo picked up Tsuna and I winced, hearing his yells.

A whip cracked and Dino yelled, "Let go of Tsuna!" More explosions, which I'm pretty sure made me deaf. But Dino made it out and made sure Tsuna was all right. As he was doing so, Squalo escaped to the rooftop.

Our two allies seemed absolutely distraught to find out that Squalo had escaped with a bunch of important "rings," apparently. I didn't know where he was, but even if I did, I wasn't sure what I could do. Squalo simply laughed and left us there.

I ran over to where I heard Tsuna's voice and knelt down. "Tsuna-kun, are you okay?! I'm so sorry I couldn't do anything to help you!" I could feel tears forming in my eyes as I remembered how cowardly I was. I didn't even try to help. "I'm really sorry!" I bowed my head in apology and shame.

Tsuna replied, "It's okay, Najika-chan. I didn't expect you to do anything, nor did I want you to. I don't want you hurt, after all, I won't force you to fight." I looked up a bit and smiled.

"Are Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun alright?" Tsuna gasped and ran up to them. Both of them were awake, and alright, even after they'd been hurt real bad, from what I could hear. "I'm glad you're all okay." I bowed. "Thank you very much for saving us, Dino-san. Um… Reborn… I've realized what being part of Tsuna's Family could do, and I'm sure I'll just be a hindrance. If you don't want me in the way, just tell me, okay?"

I got a kick in the shin as a response. "Idiot. We need you. You're the only one who can become one of us. Any other female would be just about useless in your position. But you're all going to slow us down at the level of skill you're at. It was completely one-sided." I heard a whir and Reborn continued, "Let's go, Tsuna."

Turning to face Yamamoto and Gokudera, I asked, "Are you both sure you're alright? I heard some really nasty hits get in." When I got no response, I continued, "But, um… I hope that you're not upset that I didn't try and help Tsuna."

Gokudera snapped, "But why didn't you?! You could've helped, or at least even distracted him!" I lowered my head in shame once again. He sighed. "I get it. Sorry."

I didn't even reply as I turned and walked away. Heading back home, I brought the mail in and went to finish my work. _You could've helped!_ Gokudera's voice rang in my head. I really was useless. Why should I be able to help? I'm just a blind girl with no skill to fight, whatsoever. If I wanted to help, I'd have to learn to fight.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Well, here I am, done editing and all. I couldn't bring myself to make chapters longer, so I apologize.**

**For you who are just joining us, welcome to "Rainbow Shooter," a 59/OC story, with dashes of B/OC, 84/OC, and a few other pairings. My name is Akira, or Aki, and I've been writing for around four years now. This is the first _finished_ story that I've brought myself to write. I'm actually very pleased with the plot and all that I've been able to do with this. The layout of the chapter is the title of the fic, the chapter number and title, and then a line or two from a song that really influenced me to write this. For this chapter, it was "Seasons of Love" from the Broadway Musical "Rent" written by Jonathan Larson. Afterwards, there will be an Author's Note, titled the "Atogaki," which means "Afterword" in Japanese. It will have some translations, and, for this chapter, and a few others, a guide to the honorific(s) that are used. It may also be used to clear up a few things, or do some shameful(less) advertising for both myself and my friends.**

**I chose the song "Seasons of Love" because; 1) It's a great opening song, and 2) I felt that it could be a, sort of, anthem for this story. I used the title "Unseen" because, clearly, Najika is introduced as a clutzy, blind girl, and is almost immediately thrown into the world of the Mafia, and no one knows what she's getting herself into.**

**I hope you'll review please! It makes me happy. ;D**

**"Najika" means rainbow, or, at least, that was what I've been told. "Kamiya" is a surname I took from the anime "Digimon," whose first main character was named "Taichi Kamiya."**

**-kun - a honorific used by persons of senior status in addressing or referring to those of junior status, or by anyone when addressing or referring to male children or male teenagers. It can also be used by females when addressing a male that they are emotionally attached to or have known for a long period of time. Although _kun_ is generally used for boys, that is not a hard rule. For example, kun can be used to name a close personal friend or family member of either gender. Also, in business settings, young female employees may also be addressed as _kun_ by older males of senior status. It can also be used by male teachers addressing their female student.  
>[For this story, I will be using this honorific for most of the boys in the Vongola, save for the Varia, whose honorifics turn on and off at points.]<strong>

**-chan -** **expresses that the speaker finds a person endearing. Thus, using _chan_ with a superior's name would be condescending and rude. In general, _chan_ is used for babies, young children, grandparents and teenage girls. It may also be used towards cute animals, lovers, close friends, or any youthful woman. It can be used for males in some circumstances, but in general this use is rather condescending or intimate. Although traditionally honorifics are not applied to oneself, some young women adopt the childish affectation of referring to themselves in the third person using _chan_ (childish because it suggests that one has not learned to distinguish between names used for self and names used by others). For example, a young woman named _Kanako_ might call herself _Kanako-chan_rather than using a first person pronoun. Also, the very common female name suffix _-ko _may be dropped, as in _Kana-chan_.  
>[In this story, most of the girls will have this honorific on the end of their names, but at points, Najika will use this to speak to people who she has given a nickname to.]<strong>

**-san - this is the most commonplace honorific, and is a title of respect typically used between equals of any age. Although the closest analog in English are the honorifics "Mr.", "Miss", "Mrs.", or "Ms.", _san_ is almost universally added to a person's name, in both formal and informal contexts. However, in addition to being used with people's names, it is also employed in a variety of other ways. ****_San_ is used in combination with workplace nouns, so a bookseller might be addressed or referred to as _honya-san_ ("bookstore" + _san_), and a butcher as _nikuya-san_ ("butcher shop" + _san_). ****_San_ is sometimes used with company names. For example, the offices or shop of a company called Kojima Denki might be referred to as "Kojima Denki-san" by another nearby company. This may be seen on small maps often used in phone books and business cards in Japan, where the names of surrounding companies are written using _san_. ****_San_ can also be attached to the names of animals or even inanimate objects. For example, a pet rabbit might be called _usagi-san_, and fish used for cooking can be referred to as_sakana-san_. Both uses would be considered childish (akin to "Mr. Rabbit" in English) and would be avoided in formal speech. Even married people often refer to their spouse with _san_.  
>[This honorific will mostly be used when the teens are speaking to someone older than them, such as Dino or Xanxus.]<strong>

**-sensei - it ****is used to refer to or address teachers, doctors, politicians, lawyers, and other authority figures. It is used to show respect to someone who has achieved a certain level of mastery in an art form or some other skill, and is also applied to novelists, poets, painters, and other artists, including manga artists. In Japanese martial arts, _sensei_ typically refers to someone who is the head of a dojo. As with _sempai_, _sensei_ can be used not only as a suffix, but also as a stand-alone title. ****_Sensei_ can be used fawningly, and it can also be employed sarcastically to ridicule such fawning. The Japanese media invoke it (rendered in katakana, akin to scare quotes or italics in English) to highlight the megalomania of those who allow themselves to be sycophantically addressed with the term.  
>[For "Rainbow Shooter," this honorific will be used sparingly. Najika will really be the only one seen using it, as the others call their tutors "Shishou," meaning "Master," or simply refer to them without a honorific.]<strong>

**-senpai (sempai) & kohai - ****_Sempai _is used to address or refer to one's senior colleagues in a school, company, sports club, or other group. So at school, the students in higher grades than oneself are _sempai_. Students of the same or lower grade are not senpai, nor are teachers. In a business environment, colleagues with more experience are sempai, but one's boss is not a sempai. Like "Doctor" in English, _sempai_ can be used by itself as well as with a name. Due to the grammatical rules of the Japanese language, although spelled _senpai_, the _n_ sound turns to an _m_ sound, thereby being pronounced _sempai_. A _kōhai_ is a junior, the reverse of _sempai_, but it is not normally used as an honorific.  
>[I will be using "senpai" in this story. These two will also be used sparingly, for Hibari and Ryohei (briefly), and three other characters, also briefly.]<strong>

**-sama - this ****is a markedly more respectful version of _san_. It is used mainly to refer to people much higher in rank than oneself, toward one's customers, and sometimes toward people one greatly admires. When used to refer to oneself, _sama_ expresses extreme arrogance (or self-effacing irony), as with _ore-sama_("my esteemed self"). ****_Sama_ customarily follows the addressee's name on postal packages and letters and in business email. ****_Sama_ also appears in such set phrases as _o-machidō sama_ ("sorry to keep you waiting"), _o-tsukare sama_ (an expression of empathy for people who have been working long and hard), and_go-kurō sama_ (an expression recognizing someone's labors), but although this is written with the same kanji, it is semantically distinct from the _sama_ used as a term of address.  
>[I don't think I used this one too often. Instead, I used Basil's older form of Japanese, like "-dono." I don't believe this one was actually used.]<strong>

**There will be others, like "-obaa-san," and "-ojii-san," which mean "Aunt" and "Uncle," respectively.**

**I believe that's it... Oh, right! All of this information was from Wikipedia. Thank God for Google.**

**This will be the longest Author's Note. I apologize for any inconvenience.**

**-Aki**


	2. The Rainbow of a New Change

**Episode 2: The Rainbow of a New Change  
><strong>**"So just give me one good reason. Tell me why, I should stay, 'cause I don't wanna waste another moment saying things we never meant to say… And I take it just a little bit. I… hold my breath and count to ten. I've been waiting for a chance to let you in…"  
><strong>**-"Breathe" by Michelle Branch**

* * *

><p>I tucked my legs into my body as I flew through the air, pushing my body more than I'd had to in ages. Working on gymnastics was more work than I originally thought. There was sweat all over my hands, face, and back. I closed my eyes and got ready to land. But I badly misjudged the distance between the ground and myself and landed with a painful thud, injuring my back and legs.<p>

_Ouch…_ I though, rubbing my sore back. _Being blind sucks. I can't do any damn thing! I couldn't even help when my friends needed me!_ I picked myself up with a heavy sigh and trudged back into my house. It was almost time for school.

As I ran to school, I passed the hospital, like I did every morning. But this morning, the doors opened and I heard Dino's voice, from yesterday, called, "Najika-chan! Come in here. We need you in here for a minute."

"Sure…" Blinking in confusion, I walked inside, not without smacking into the glass doors.

I heard Dino sigh and turn to someone else and ask, "Geez, Reborn, are you sure you want her to be one of them?" I frowned, hearing the doubt and almost regret clear in his voice.

Reborn simply replied, "He chose her along with the rest of them. I don't know how he knew she'd be in Namimori, but what he says goes." I bit my lip and wondered just who it was they were talking about. Reborn then addressed me, "Najika, do you want to help your friends?"

Biting my lip, I wondered if I should be truthful or if I should just give up on helping my friends. But in the end, my selfish side won out, and I wanted to prove that I could be of some use. "More than anything!" I cried, not thinking twice about my words.

I could practically hear Reborn's smirk as he said, "Then listen. There were seven Vongola Rings. An eighth was added by the Ninth, who wanted his niece to be with him at all times, which will carry on the tradition. They only have meaning when eight Family members hold them."

I just frowned again, unsure of what Reborn was saying. I understood so little of what was going on. I was just being selfish in wanting to seem stronger.

_Rings? What is Reborn going on about?_

**X Tsunayoshi Sawada X**

Tsuna could see Najika's confusion radiating off of her in annoyed waves. He looked down at his own ring. "Six other rings have been delivered to people who are worthy of protecting the next Vongola boss, Tsunayoshi Sawada. Dino has the eighth." Najika looked up sharply.

Finally, he understood why Reborn said that they needed her. "No way! Najika-chan is not getting involved with this!" he protested loudly. Najika's face fell and she looked back down. Tsuna instantly felt a bolt of guilt, but ignored it for the safety of his friend. "I don't want anyone else involved! No more Mafia, Reborn!" he cried.

He wasn't defending Najika because he felt for her like he did Kyoko, but because she was blind. She had no way to defend herself against the dangers of the mafia world, and she couldn't very well wield a sword or anything like it. Tsuna knew that if he made Najika defend him, she'd most likely get hurt or maybe even die.

That was what he would never ask of anyone. Gokudera and Yamamoto could take care of themselves, but he didn't want them hurt, either. But Najika was more vulnerable than all of them.

Gokudera, however, seemed quite pleased, as did Yamamoto, that they were chosen to be Tsuna's protectors.

"Wait." Najika stepped forward. "Tsuna-kun, I know I'm blind. But I want to help." Tsuna saw Reborn and Dino exchange looks. "I'm sure one of you is looking at me like I'm crazy. Maybe I am. But I don't want to see anyone hurt, so I'll do my best to help! If I'm not a help at all, I'll stop, I promise." Tsuna hesitated a bit.

Reborn answered, "Very well. That's what I wanted to hear." He nodded to Dino, who took Najika's hand and placed a ring in it. "You, too, are a Guardian, Najika Kamiya." He pointed to Gokudera. "Gokudera's Ring is the Storm Ring. Yamamoto's is the Rain Ring. Najika has the Wave Ring." The Rings even looked different, which caused Reborn to explain, "The first Vongola Family had a variety of unique members. Their traits helped shape the rings. The first boss was said to be like the sky, colorful and engulfing everything, open to all things. So his ring was the Sky Ring. And the other rings were named after various kinds of weather that color the sky. The merciful shower that washes all away, the Rain Ring." Yamamoto looked at his Ring. "The turbulent gale that fiercely blows, the Storm Ring." Gokudera looked up and smirked. "The drifting cloud that is never trapped by anyone and walks its own path, the Cloud Ring. The illusion that prohibits knowledge of its true nature, the Mist Ring. The orb of fire that brightens the great sky, the Sun Ring. The thunderbolt that strikes a zealous blow, the Thunder Ring."

Najika sounded confused when she asked, "But waves aren't at all related to the sky, Reborn. Why is there a Wave Ring?"

Tsuna had to agree. Waves didn't have anything to do with the sky, and Reborn knew that. The baby smirked. "The waves are related to the sky. Without the waves, there would be nothing to separate the sky from the land."

She flatly stated, "That's the full ocean, Reborn." He shrugged, clearly not caring.

He continued, "With the rings that you have now…"

Tsuna interrupted, saying that he didn't want his. Yamamoto agreed, since he played baseball, and didn't want to risk his skills and time. But as soon as Tsuna said, "That long-haired guy from yesterday is gonna come after us!" everyone perked up.

Both Gokudera and Yamamoto decided to keep their Rings. Even Najika smiled and walked out, hitting the glass first, then leaving.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

Those Rings… I knew they'd bring trouble. But I couldn't just sit and do nothing. I had to help. I promised Tsuna that I'd do my best. So instead of rushing to school, I decided to try my gymnastics again. For two and a half hours, I fell, got up, and fell again. My legs felt like they were jelly after practicing so hard, but still failing.

Finally, I sat down and sighed. "I'm not getting anywhere like this." I leaned back, lying against my porch. "I'm horrible," I mourned, kicking my feet a little as I felt the coldness of the wood on my back.

"If you just lie around like that, you won't get any better." I sat up quickly and looked around for the source of the voice. "Hey… Look to your left." The feminine voice sighed. "Reborn was right. This girl's gonna be a challenge. My name's Lal Mirch. I'm a friend of Reborn's, and he sent me here to train you."

_She sure doesn't do small talk well, does she?_

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a tiny hand pushing me all over my body. I flinched; she sure wasn't being gentle. "H-Hey!" I complained, glaring as best I could.

She ignored me. "Hmph. You're not a huge eater, nor a huge exerciser," she observed bluntly. "So, let's train with guns. Seeing as you're blind, it's not gonna be easy to dodge, but maybe… do me a favor and slip on that Ring," she ordered.

I did so. "Nothing happened, Lal-sensei." She hummed for a bit and I could hear her pacing. "Lal-sensei?"

She stopped and demanded, "Close your eyes." I hesitated, but once she snapped her command again, I closed them, kind of irritated I was being ordered around by such a person.

_What will closing my eyes do? I'm blind already, for Pete's sake!_

"Now, give me a minute. Don't move, don't talk, just sit there, okay?" She scurried off and five minutes later, came back. "This'll allow you to see shapes of people's life forces. You'll have to see the colors for yourself." Something was forced into my mouth, and I nearly gagged. "Swallow." The foul-tasting, pill-shaped thing was hard to swallow, but I managed it. "Now try opening your eyes."

When I opened my eyes, I saw the shape of a small baby in front of me, with a bluish purple flame surrounding it. "Lal-sensei? Is that you?" I asked, not believing what just happened. The purple shape nodded. "How is this possible?"

"Mist Magic," Lal Mirch supplied. "I put some sensory power into an aspirin I found in your house. They last for an hour, so I'll make a few more for our training and for your fighting. Now, let's start." She handed me something. "This is a gun much like the one I use. This gun is able to shoot both normal bullets and bullets made out of Flames."

"Wait, what are Flames?" I asked, turning the gun in my hands. "Like the kind that you can start with lighters and matches?"

Lal shook her head. "No. Flames are like aura, the force of a human soul."

I stood. "So, what are we doing first?" Lal simply climbed up onto a post and pointed over to where I knew there was a huge Sakura tree. But instead, there were three white flame outlines. "What are those?" I asked, pointing to the flames.

"Target practice," Lal replied simply. When I looked at her, confused, she explained, "Just hit them with the lead bullets. You need aim first."

I did so, shooting with one hand, pulling the trigger on the gun three times for each flame, flinching at the harsh recoil that nearly threw my shoulder out from the force. The outer two turned a hot white-grey and one, in the middle, turned grey, then faded to black.

Lal made a surprised sound. "Well, you did better than I thought. You managed to hit all of them, but you hit the first and last dummies in the legs and chest area, but not enough for an instant-kill. The one in the middle got a bullet to the head." She jumped onto my shoulder. "Now, sparring. The person you're fighting is one that I'm going to make with an illusion, but I'll warn you; the wounds you get will hurt. Each of the illusions will represent one of the Varia."

I asked, "Varia?"

"The Varia are an assassin group of the Vongola Family. They're incredibly dangerous," Lal said solemnly. "They're not ones who will give in. But… your backyard isn't big enough. I'm sure that some of your friends will be up at the mountain range. Come on, let's go."

I nodded, walking off with her still perched on my shoulder. "Yes ma'am!"

It didn't take us long to get there. Lal made sure I could run without hitting anything, even when my eyes were closed. But as soon as we got there, I heard two loud explosions. "Ah. Looks like that idiot Gokudera is here," my tutor commented dryly, "and that means that that bigger idiot Shamal is here, too."

I raised one eyebrow, surprised, but at the same time, not, that she knew who the other Vongola guardians were. "So… what are we going to do? Are we going to go see what they do?" I asked dryly.

She shook her head. "No," she replied. "We're going to train near them. You're going to need to get used to the sounds of explosions. First, you're fighting a hand to hand combat fighter!" A rush of air passed my head, then jumped back with the same white flame that the dummies had. "Go, Najika!" she yelled.

A fist lashed out at my face, but I moved to the side. Even so, it swiped my side, hitting my ribcage. I winced, but pulled my gun out of my jacket pocket and shot. It missed by a mile. A kick to my legs brought me down, and the illusion hit my face again. I fell back with a cry as the flame faded away.

Lal walked over. "That was weak. You couldn't even get a hit in! You're going to have to be a lot faster than that!"

And so the training progressed. It took me four tries, but I was finally able to defeat the illusion and dodge at least half of the hits. My aim was getting better, too. I was bruised all over and I was pretty sure I had a split lip and other injuries, but I was happier than I had been in a long, long time.

I'd been able to defeat someone, and by using my own strength and will, too, a huge achievement for someone like me.

Even Lal seemed proud to gloat, "You're a fast learner! Better than most of those other Guardians, I'd bet!" I had to laugh at that. She was a great teacher, and I was ready to learn a whole lot from her.

Holding up the guns she'd provided me with, I grinned. "I'm still ready to fight! I'll be ready to learn more from you! You're a great teacher, Lal-sensei."

She scoffed. "Quit it with the 'Lal-sensei' crap. I'm not a teacher. Just Lal, okay, kid?" I smiled a little. She was a lot nicer than she tried to be. "And I'm not being nice. I'm just telling you that I'm not a teacher," she snapped. "Now, prepare to learn how to fire your Flames!" I put myself into a stance of getting ready to fire. "Okay, good stance. Now, focus your thoughts into your hand. Think about what you want most and turn those thoughts into energy." Another white flame appeared and I aimed right at it.

But I couldn't shoot. I didn't know what I wanted most. So, I hesitated to fire. If I made the wrong choice in thought, what would happen? My focus flew from thought to thought until it landed on the disappointment and shame I'd felt when I realized how utterly useless I was against Squalo.

_I want… I want to protect my friends,_ I thought, closing my eyes. A warmth spread over my whole body. _All I want is to see them safe and happy. I want them to be okay no matter what, and I want to be the one who can help them!_

My finger danced over the trigger until I finally fired. I didn't hear a gunshot like I did when I fired a normal bullet. I heard a soft buzz and a whiz as something made its way out of the gun. It sounded like a sizzle of a flame. The white flame turned a dangerous grey, then slowly started to fade to black.

"I cannot believe you got that on your first try," Lal deadpanned. "Your Flame is a light blue… lighter than Rain." She paused "By any chance, did you think 'I want to protect the people I love?'" she asked.

I nodded in reply. "Yes. I was useless when Squalo attacked us. I never want to feel that way ever again." My hands clenched into fists and I growled, "If I ever see that bastard again, I'll rip his throat out, I swear."

Lal looked up. "You really are like a wave. Waves are kind and gentle, but when they're upset, a wave is rough and destructive." I looked up. I'd never thought of the wave like that.

I smiled. "Wow. I never actually thought of that. So why don't we just practice some more. I don't want to be destructive or rough, but I do want to be strong. I want to be strong enough to defeat anyone who threatens my friends." I took aim at nothing, and faked shooting the gun.

Whistling, Lal shook her head. "Kid, you're gonna need quite a lot of work to beat everyone who threatens your friends." My face fell, as did my spirit. "But, it's not impossible. You're gonna need to work hard. Are you willing to do that?" she asked, completely serious.

I hardened my expression and nodded. "Yes. I'm ready."

"Then let's get cracking."

The days passed, and during the ten days we had to train, I became so much stronger than I ever imagined I could've been.

My Flames were strong and lethal, and I was now able to dodge a ton of attacks, but not all of them. My body had become super flexible and I finally managed to do a back flip and a whole bunch of other moves, not to mention my speed had improved quite a bit. My Flame-Sensing ability was pretty good, too. I was finally able to see white outlines of inanimate objects, however faint they were.

School was a lot easier than usual. I wasn't as clumsy as I used to be, and I didn't run into things as often as I did. I actually had friends, now, too, and I stayed by Tsuna, Yamamoto, and Gokudera at all times.

Gokudera was nicer than he seemed, and even though he said that he was only looking out for me because Tsuna had told him to, he was still kind to me. I spent a lot of time playing with Lambo, I-Pin, Fuuta, and Tsuna after school, and even went shopping with Kyoko and Haru on the weekend.

I was finally being treated like a normal person, and it felt… good. I was accepted by someone for once in my life, and more than one person, at that.

In fact, Lambo and I-Pin were like my own little kids, and Fuuta was my little brother. Even Tsuna and the others were like my family. They'd accepted me after only knowing me for around eleven days, which meant a lot more than they probably realized to me.

Over the days, I also met and bonded with Basil, who was really kind to me. He spoke really formally, but was a very sweet person. I spent a full day training with him to battle a Flame user, which was really helpful.

"Come on, Najika-dono!" he teased lightly, jumping away from a bullet. "Thou can hit me! Keep trying!" I fell back, panting and cursing. Basil was faster than he seemed, and his Triangular Blade kept hitting my side. I was pretty sure I was bleeding badly. "Art thou tired? Should we stop?"

I sighed, moving my legs and fidgeting a little. "No, Basil-kun. We can keep going!" I flew at him with increased speed, before he could even react, and knocked him to the ground, stepping on his Blade. "Dead." Basil looked up to see my gun in his face.

I stepped off of him and he got up, laughing. "Well, looks like thou has bested me! I knew you could do it." Basil bowed and laughed again. "You're very good with a gun now, art thee? I shall hopefully be able to face thou one day when both of us are even stronger."

Smiling slightly, I replied, "Same here, Basil-kun. And you know, you don't have to call me anything formal. Just call me Najika-chan!" My smile grew wider at his confused and shocked feelings. "You don't have to speak formally all the time."

He laughed a bit. "It's a bit hard for me not to. It is how my master taught me how to speak. I appreciate it though… Najika-chan." The fact that he called me Najika-chan instead of Najika-dono really made me smile. It was a kind gesture that he would call me what I'd asked him to. "I do hope thou art ready for thy battle against the Varia. They are very talented fighters, so I hope thee shall be all right."

"I'm sure I'll be fine. Now, don't you have some training to do with Tsuna-kun?" I asked jokingly, trying to mask my nervousness at the situation. "After all, I have half a Vongola Ring, and I have Lal Mirch as my trainer. There's no way I can lose this battle," I assured him, trying to sound confident.

Basil nodded. "I hope so. I wish thee luck, Najika-chan."

I nodded to promise him that I would win. I just hoped that I'd be all right. Shaking my head, I tried to clear those thoughts from my head. _I'll be just fine. My friends will be by me no matter what. Right?_

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><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**I'm actually very disappointed in this chapter. It wasn't as amazing as I thought it'd be when I planned this in my head. I wanted to show a real development in the Basil/Najika relationship. Gokudera/Najika really takes a backseat to plot in this story. I didn't want to just have a romantic feel to this story, which it's currently lacking. This chapter is named "The Rainbow of a New Change" for obvious reasons, and I chose the song "Breathe" because it's a song that really describes Najika's thoughts in this chapter. I know, I fail...**

**I believe that there are quite a few characters introduced in this chapter, namely Lal Mirch. I understand that she and a few other characters, namely Hibari, Belphegor, and Byakuran, will be out of character. I purposely did that to show that either they had a good past with her and care a lot about her, or that they simply treat males and females different. Lal and Hibari are seen interacting with Kyoko, Haru, Chrome, and Yuni. (Only in the extras for Hibari and Haru.) Hibari seemed kinder and more calm when he was speaking with Haru and Chrome, and instead of threatening Yuni, he gave her a calm look and only walked away. Lal also seems more calm and less harsh with the girls, instead being almost an older sister to them.**

**As for Bel and Byakuran, I got bored and thought it'd be fun to mess with them a little. Don't worry; they'll still be the characters you love to hate. (Or love, in Bel's case. I actually really like Byakuran, so... I just stuck with it.)**

**I may also be cutting certain characters out and then sticking some where they don't belong. I believe I cut Giannini out of a few of the Future Arc a few times, and minimized Daisy and Torikabuto's parts. Gamma also gets a smaller part, and in this Arc, I really shrank Dino's part and Squalo's part. Xanxus... I think I clipped a few of his lines, as well as the Cerevello. They just creep me out.**

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><p><strong>Character Introductions (Ch 1 &amp; 2):<strong>

**Najika Kamiya, age 14. ****A current second year in Namimori Middle. She transferred from Kokuyo Middle around three months ago. She holds the Wave Ring.**

**Tsunayoshi "Tsuna" Sawada, age 14. A current second year in Namimori Middle. Also known as "Dame-Tsuna," or No-Good-Tsuna. He is the next in line to become Vongola Decimo, or Vongola Juudaime. He holds the Sky Ring.**

**Hayato Gokudera, age 14. **A current second year in Namimori Middle. He transferred from an unknown school in Italy, and is aiming to be Tsuna's right-hand man. He holds the Storm Ring****

**Takashi Yamamoto, age 14. **A current second year in Namimori Middle. He is the school's baseball star. His father runs a sushi restaurant. He holds the Rain Ring.****

**Basilicum "Basil," age 15. A CEDEF operative, under Iemitsu Sawada. He has a Rain Flame, evident from his Dying Will Flame. He is currently helping to train Tsuna and Najika to face the Varia.**

**Lal Mirch, age unknown. A CEDEF operative, under Iemitsu Sawada. A failed Arcobaleno, holding the Rain, Mist, and Cloud Flames. She is currently Najika's tutor for the Ring Battle.**

**Reborn, age unknown. Also known as the "Hitman Home-Tutor Reborn," or "Katekyo Hitman Reborn." He is living in the Sawada house, and is tutoring Tsuna.**

**Dino, age 22. The Cavallone Decimo, also known as "Bucking Bronco." He has a Sky Flame, and is utterly useless if his men aren't around. He was formerly Reborn's student.**

**Fuuta de la Stella, age 9. Also known as "Ranking Fuuta." He has the power to tell the ranks of anyone he meets, and quickly attaches himself to people.**

**I-Pin, age 5. A young assassin from China who came to "kill Tsuna." She is badly nearsighted, and is the holder of the "Pinzu-Timed Super Explosion" and "Gyoza-Tempo."**

**Lambo, age 5. A young assassin from the Bovino Family who has a rivalry with Reborn. He's very arrogant and childish, and usually uses the 10-Year Bazooka when upset or hurt.**

**Haru Miura, age 14. A second year in Midori Middle who has a huge obsession with Tsuna. She cares very much for the children, namely Lambo. She dresses up in Cosplay often.**

**Kyoko Sasagawa, age 14. A second year in Namimori Middle. She is Ryohei Sasagawa's younger sister. She seems to care for everyone, and is very close with Hana Kurokawa.**

**Superbi Squalo, age 22. The Rain Guardian of the Varia. He is a swordsman, who has no left hand, as he cut it off when he decided to face the Sword Emperor. His left hand is actually a prosthetic.**


	3. The War of the Rings

**Episode 3: The War of the Rings  
><strong>**"I do believe in the light… Raise your hands into the sky. The fight is done, the war is won… lift your hands into the sun… To the right, to the left, we will fight to the death. To the edge of the earth… it's a brave new world from the last to the first…"  
><strong>**-"This is War" by 30 Seconds to Mars**

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><p>Lal was at home one day as I walked around town. It had been almost seven days since we were given the Rings. I ran my fingers over my half of the Wave Ring once again. It had a distinctive feel to it, like it was smooth, but it felt rough as well. Like I could safely run my fingers over it, but it may give me a bad gash and cause me to bleed.<p>

A small hand tugged at my shirt. "Najika-nee, do you know how to get home?" Fuuta's small voice asked. I frowned, wondering what he was doing alone, so late at night, on the streets of Namimori.

After hearing the two five-year-olds bickering in the background, I frowned, heaving a huge sigh of exasperation. "Fuuta, are you and Lambo and I-Pin lost again?" Fuuta's grip on the hem of my shirt tightened, affirming what I already knew.

_Kids…_

I sighed. "Alright, I'm going to guess that Lambo's huge stomach got you three lost, am I right?" He gripped my shirt tighter again. "It's okay, Fuuta. I won't tell anyone. We'll just say that I met you guys in town and decided that we should spend some time together! Now, let's go home." Lambo cheered, as did I-Pin and Fuuta, but I could've sworn I felt another presence nearby.

My intuition proved itself when a threatening man dropped down from the rooftops, his Flame giving off a dangerous feel. I immediately dropped into a protective stance, pulling Fuuta behind me. "W-who are you?" Fuuta bravely asked. "What do you want?"

The man simply advanced, bearing his sword-drill-thing, whatever it was. Fuuta and I-Pin moved even closer to me, clinging to my shirt one more in fear. "It's okay," I attempted to reassure them, patting Fuuta's head. "You'll be okay."

But Lambo mistook the man for a friend and said, "Oh, you want to play with Lambo-san." I gaped at the five-year-old assassin. "I'm so popular!" Before I could do anything, the man attacked.

One swipe from the blade sent Lambo flying back towards me. I caught him quickly, putting the now-crying child down on the ground. I growled a little, mentally cursing this person.

Fuuta gasped in fear as I-Pin ran up, jumping over the man. He swiped at her, as well, and she went flying down to the ground, landing painfully. "I-Pin!" I cried, picking her up and putting her next to Lambo. "Fuuta, stay back. Go get help, do something!" I ordered him. "I'll try and hold him off." Fuuta did as I told him to, picking up the two children and running.

Drawing my gun, I aimed. _I want to be able to help Fuuta and I-Pin and Lambo! I don't want them to get hurt!_ The gun buzzed again, charging with Flames from my will, and as I pulled the trigger, the man fell to the ground.

But it wasn't strong enough, since the man got up and pushed me to the side. He was strong, and I felt it in just a push. My back hit something hard, and I fell to the ground, landing in a heap.

I looked up to see his Flame growing smaller as he ran away. _Damnit, he's going after Fuuta and the kids!_ I cursed mentally and tried to stand up. My legs felt weak, but I quickly shook it off, dashing in the same direction.

I reached them, and I saw Tsuna's familiar Flame, the children's Flames, and the Flame of the man with the sword. I noticed a familiar looking glint of something and then looked down at my own. A bright white Flame…

_The Rings! Lambo is a Guardian, too? He's only five!_ I gaped, shocked that Reborn would condone such a thing.

A fist came out of nowhere and struck the man. Ryohei Sasagawa had arrived.

I blinked, seeing another Flame from the corner of my eye. "Tsuna! Another one is coming from the right!" Just as I yelled that, another one of the men ran out. I lifted my gun and prepared to shoot, but he had already been struck down. A third force was on the roofs above and I yelled, "Guys, there's one more! Up on the roofs!" Explosions rang in my ears and I could only guess who had come to help. Takeshi Yamamoto and Hayato Gokudera. "So, you're all here?" The Flames began to fade out. It'd been an hour since I'd taken one of the pills that Lal had made. "Crap."

Fuuta ran to embrace Tsuna and I stumbled forward. "Hey, you okay?" From the voice, it was Gokudera. "… Wave girl? You alright?"

Nodding, I replied, "Yeah, I just can't see." Gokudera sighed and I felt someone in front of me. "Huh?"

"Get on," he said simply. I realized that he wanted me to get on his back, so I climbed on, accidentally stepping on his hand. He winced in pain a little, but his voice was almost concerned as he demanded, "You're too light. Have you been eating lately?" I laughed a bit, trying to make light of the situation at hand. Then, I remembered I-Pin.

I looked down, where I was sure that I-Pin was. "I-Pin, are you okay?" I asked gently, concerned about the brave little girl who had defended us all. I didn't get my answer; Lambo was complaining that he was hungry.

_Lambo doesn't even get why he has the Ring… or that he's in danger because of that Ring. He doesn't know… He's lucky._

I felt another force coming towards us. I wasn't able to see, but I could still sense a Flame around, growing closer and closer. "Guys… Something's coming." My voice was steadier than I felt.

_It's… so strong. I've never felt any Flame this huge before, or this frightening… I'm being overwhelmed…_

Apparently Reborn felt it too, and he quickly warned all of us to be on guard. "Gokudera-kun, let me down." I could feel his confusion as I crawled off his back. "Sorry, but we can't go home just yet. The danger's not over." Reaching into my back pocket, I pulled out one of the pills that Lal had warned me to keep on me. I swallowed it and grimaced at the taste.

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

Wave girl, once she swallowed what looked like an aspirin, started to shake violently, the serious smile on her face gone, with her now shaking in total fear. "They're coming… Guys… I don't know what it is, but I know that we don't stand a chance!" Gokudera wondered what she could see or feel because of those pills. She let out a small shriek.

From within the trees, Gokudera noticed that someone had jumped out, landing on a small cliff above the Vongola. He was tall and seemed to have eight of the swords on his back.

He growled, "Did you do this?" Gokudera stared at him; was he one of the Varia? "Who holds the Thunder Ring?" Ah, so he was the stupid cow's opponent, then. All he wanted was the Thunder Ring. "Is it that curly-headed brat?" Gokudera could have laughed. The Varia was right on the dot. Lambo looked up from where he was clinging to Juudaime's leg.

Juudaime was quick to defend the stupid cow. He protested, "I-It's not! T-this is a misunderstanding!"

"If you get in the way, I'll kill you." The way the Thunder Varia said it so bluntly pissed Gokudera off. Drawing two of the swords, Gokudera was vaguely aware of Wave girl shaking again and falling to her knees. It was clear how frightened she was of this man.

Another voice seemed to come out of nowhere. "Hold on, Levi." Five more people jumped down next to him. It was the green-haired man who spoke. "You can't hunt them by yourself. Share the prey."

At the arrival of the other five, Gokudera chanced a look at Wave girl. She was now shaking violently, squeezing her glassy purple eyes shut and shivering violently, practically curled into herself and crying. Gokudera knelt next to her and put one hand on her shoulder. The blonde of the Varia laughed cruelly, grinning a toothy smile.

The smallest of the group pointed out, "The situation has changed. The other Guardians of the Rings are here." Even Juudaime seemed to begin to worry at this point.

The silver-haired bastard was there, too, a cruel smile on his face. "How dare you trick me, you trash!" he shouted, his voice making Wave girl flinch in Gokudera's hold.

Both the baseball idiot and Gokudera looked up, the latter growling, "That bastard…" Najika seemed to be more frightened of him than anyone and clung to his hand, not letting it go as she shook, tears leaking from her eyes.

Smirking, the bastard demanded, "Which one of you has the Rain Ring?" Damn. The baseball idiot did. "So it's you?" he confirmed after the baseball idiot replied. "Three seconds. I'll cut you to pieces in three seconds." The baseball idiot narrowed his eyes and made to hold up his sword.

A hand stopped him, grabbing his pants leg. "Don't, please," Wave girl practically begged. "He's really strong; you won't be able to beat him!" Gokudera looked at the girl, who was about still crying and shaking. "I don't want you to die."

"Out of the way." An even more intimidating figure walked out from behind the bastard and forced him back. Wave girl's head snapped up to look at him. Or… whatever she did. His name, as Reborn said, was Xanxus. Even Juudaime was scared, and the others couldn't move. "Tsunayoshi Sawada." Xanxus lifted a hand that he curled into a fist of fire. "Die."

A pickaxe crashed right in front of the Varia, causing Xanxus to stop. "Hold on, Xanxus," a loud voice commanded. Everyone turned to look at the source of the voice besides Wave girl, who was still staring with wide eyes at Xanxus. "That's enough. I'll take charge from here." To everyone's shock, the figure was Juudaime's father, Iemitsu. The bastard growled and held up his sword threateningly. "Xanxus, are your subordinates going to point their swords at the External Advisor?" Juudaime's dad was the External Advisor? Oh crap, Gokudera was really going to have to impress him now…

Juudaime's dad had gotten a reply from the Kyuudaime, or the Ninth. The Rings that the group had gotten were only half of the Vongola Rings. Varia had the other halves of the Rings. Basil handed the Kyuudaime's direct order to Juudaime, sealed with a Dying Will Flame. It said:

_"Until now I thought that Iemitsu's son, Tsunayoshi Sawada, was a worth successor, and acted as such. However, perhaps because I am close to death, by intuition I changed course and chose a new successor. My son, Xanxus. He is truly worthy to become the Tenth. However, there will be those who are unhappy with this change. That is why Iemitsu fought against handing the Rings to Xanxus. However, I do not wish for my Family to fight amongst itself for no reason. Thus, we will begin the decisive battle to decide who will be the official successor, through a method we can all agree on."_

"Vongola successor candidate, Tsunayoshi Sawada. Also a successor candidate, Xanxus!" Juudaime's father announced. "The Vongola Rings that you both require to become the true successor… To decide who has the right to these, we will begin the decisive battle between Tsuna's family and Varia!"

So that cocky bastard was the Kyuudaime's son? And Juudaime's father didn't want him to be the Tenth? And now they all had to fight against the Varia to prove that Juudaime can be the Tenth? And it's a possibility they could die? Heh, story of a life in the Mafia.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

No effing way.

I was not fighting any of them, not in the state I was then. Their Flames… I knew no one else could see them, but if they could… They were a mass of all colors. Xanxus's shone orange, with a malice I never knew the color could have, and was bigger than all of the Varia's Flames combined. Whereas Tsuna's was really, really weak, not even a fraction of the malice seen in Xanxus' contained in Tsuna's Flame. There was no way that we could win.

I looked at Gokudera, who's Flame was a stormy red and around the healthy size for someone like him. "I'm sorry that you had to walk me home… That conflict took longer than I expected." The effects of the pill had worn off, and Tsuna had asked Gokudera to escort me home, which he did without complaints. "I kept telling Tsuna-kun that I could walk home myself, and that he didn't have to bother you, Gokudera-kun."

Said boy scoffed. "No problem. I'll do anything Juudaime asks of me." I had to let out a giggle at his stubborn reply. "What? I would." He crossed his arms stubbornly and huffed.

"I have no doubts about that, Gokudera-kun."

A brief and awkward silence ensued. "Hey…" I turned to Gokudera. "What did you see when you swallowed that pill? What did you see that scared you so much?" I must have freaked out really badly, because after seeing their Flames that were so big, I kind of blacked out. I'd never seen anything like that. He must've noticed my hesitation because he simply said, "You can tell me."

Taking confidence in his words, I revealed, "I can see their Flames. It's sort of like their life force, but also a measure of how strong they are. The Flames of the Varia are… they're huge, and terrifying. It looked like they could swallow all of us whole without even trying. It was awful. You have no idea how small all of you guys looked compared to them. It was like comparing a cricket to an anaconda."

Gokudera stopped walking and stood in front of me, putting his hands on my shoulders. "Don't worry. We're definitely going to win, so don't worry, okay?" I smiled and nodded. "Good. So… is this your house?" I looked up to see the outline of my house in front of me, marked with the Flame that Lal made to help me find my way home.

"Yeah, this is me." I turned back to him and hugged him. "Thanks. I needed that, Gokudera-kun. I can't promise that I won't worry, but I'll try my best to cheer everyone on. Just promise that you'll all come back alive, okay?" He seemed shocked, but returned my hug.

"I promise."

That was enough for me. I knew that they would all be okay. I knew that they were strong. Tsuna, Yamamoto, Ryohei, Lambo… and Gokudera.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Insanely short chapter for an insanely boring episode. This was mainly used to introduce the Varia, Xanxus, Squalo, Bel, Mammon, Lussuria, and Leviathan. They're probably my favorite group in this entire series. They're so crazy that I love them. I mean, Bel's a crazy-ass Prince, Mammon's a gold-digger, Xanxus has anger issues, Squalo doesn't know when to shut up, Lussuria's a crossdresser (and I'm pretty sure gay.), and Leviathan is completely in love with his boss, which also makes me worry for him. But I have to say, I like Mammon with the Arcobaleno, and Fran with the Varia. Fran and Bel are two of my favorite characters, and they are so funny when they're put onscreen. Take a look at a few of the Future Arc episodes, and watch to laugh.**

**But yeah, so this is actually just a short, boring filler chapter. Made to entertain and build up suspense for the next chapter, which will start the entire Ring Battle. I think there was a tiny bit of fluff in here... but not a lot, since I think that it was a more serious chapter, with all the death threats and stuff.**

**I titled this "The War of the Rings" for obvious reasons, once again, and I used the song "This is War" for again, obvious reasons. I knew that it's an action song, but unlike a few of the songs I chose for other chapters, it's not totally high action, because it has slow parts. Like this chapter, it has action, then boring talking, so it fit the pace of this chapter.**

**Please review!**

**-Aki.**

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><p><strong>Character Introductions (Ch 3):<strong>

**Ryohei Sasagawa, age 15. A third year in Namimori Middle.**

**Xanxus, age 24. The current boss of Varia, and the Vongola Nono/Vongola Kyuudaime's son. He was born with the Flames of Wrath, as well as the Sky Flames. He is eligible for the position as Decimo.**

**Belphegor, age 16. The Storm Guardian of the Varia. His main weapons are knives, and he enjoys calling himself "the Prince." He killed his twin brother when he was eight, and joined the Varia then, wanting to be able to kill more.**

**Mammon, age unknown. The Mist Guardian of the Varia. He uses illusions. His hobby is collecting money, even if he rips it off from his own teammates. His past is relatively unknown, for now.**

**Lussuria, age 25. The Sun Guardian of the Varia. He mostly uses Muay Thai, a form of martial arts, and his coat is lined with a huge orange hood. On his left knee is a metal pad to block opponent's attacks.**

**Leviathan, age 23. The Thunder Guardian of the Varia. His weapons are parabolas that conduct electricity. Like Gokudera, his ambition is to become his boss's right-hand man.**

**Gola Mosca, no age. The Cloud Guardian of the Varia. Very little is known about Gola Mosca. It is never heard speaking, and its power is unknown at the moment. Xanxus seems reliant on its strength to win.**

**Cerevello, age unknown. They are usually purple haired women with black masks on, from the Cerevello organization. They are seemingly sided with the Varia, as their judgments are mostly unfair to Tsuna's side.**

**Iemitsu Sawada, age 38. Tsuna's father, Basil's master, and the current head of the CEDEF. He works closely with Nono, and is very loyal to the Vongola Family. He is also the External Advisor to Vongola Nono.**


	4. Sunshine Thunder

**Episode 4: Sunshine Thunder  
><strong>**"You had to have it all, well have you had enough? You greedy little bastard, you will get what you deserve. When all is said and done, I will be the one to leave you in your misery and hate what you've become."**

**-"Had Enough" by Breaking Benjamin**

* * *

><p>So, we had to fight the Varia that held our type of Ring in order to become the Guardian. The representative with the most successful Guardians would be declared the rightful successor.<p>

However, there only seemed to be seven of the Varia, and it was confirmed that Squalo held the Rain Ring, Levi held the Thunder Ring, and Xanxus had the Sky Ring. They didn't have a member for the Wave Ring. Plus, it was very unusual that there would be a fight over the Rings, since the Kyuudaime and the External Advisor usually agreed on the candidate to be the successor.

Training the next day cheered me up. Lal and I had gone downtown, working on speed. I ran from one end of the street to the other, having to avoid obstacles along the way. Lal… she was such a great teacher. When this was over, I was definitely thanking her for everything.

I was at Namimori Middle School at eleven at night, waiting to hear what we would have to do. "I'm so sorry I'm late!" I cried, stopping short in front of the five Guardians already present. "Is everyone we need here?"

Ryohei shook his head. "No, we're missing Hibari and the Mist Ring. And we're missing those women with the purple hair and the Varia. Are they just not coming?"

One of the Cerevello replied, "They've been on standby for quite a while." All of us looked up to see them. "After an official conference, the battle order for tonight's Ring Conflict has been decided. The first battle will be between the Guardians of Sun."

That just meant it was Ryohei against that very flamboyant man with the over-sized yellow Flame. It was the same color as Ryohei's, but much bigger and much more violent, lashing out at other things.

The two competitors were put into a cage with excessively bright light shining on it. But, then I realized that Xanxus was absent from the battle. I didn't see his bright flame radiating from his body almost anywhere. It didn't overwhelm me at all, and I didn't feel the need to cry.

Even though Ryohei seemed to be confident, I was still worried. Lussuria, his opponent, was just as frightening as the rest of them, from Squalo to Levi. Ryohei and Yamamoto had us all form a circle and chant for him.

Just as the battle was about to start, I noticed that two more familiar Flames were in the distance. I blinked, recognizing the feel they gave off, but not the Flames themselves. It was like I knew them before I could see their Flames.

As soon as the Cerevello announced the start of the battle, there were bright lights surrounding the cage. Lussuria, the Varia's Guardian, clearly had the upper hand now. Ryohei was in for a tough time. I could see his confident, sunny yellow Flame going out as Reborn and Tsuna worried. If this was only the first battle, how would we be able to win the rest? Ryohei was pretty much our best and most experienced fighter; he couldn't lose!

I turned to Gokudera and whispered, "His Flame looks like it's dying. If he doesn't finish this fast, he's going to die." His hand gently took mine. "I'm so scared, Gokudera-kun. I don't want Ryohei-san to die. I don't want any of us to die. If you do, I don't know what I'll do…"

Gokudera just replied, "The turf-head is tougher than he looks. You shouldn't worry about him just yet."

That confused me. I bit my lip and shrunk away from the clashing Flames. "When should I worry?" I asked, squeezing Gokudera's rough hand.

"Not yet," was his reply.

A loud voice suddenly snapped, "Stand up, hey." It was Colonello, Ryohei's trainer, and another one of those babies, like Reborn. "It's about time. Show him your real strength, Ryohei!"

Ryohei seemed to rejuvenate with those words and stood up. His Flame was pushing back against Lussuria's and it was only a matter of time that they collided. Ryohei took a major hit to the face, but I could see his flame grow back twice as strong. He even got a hit to Lussuria, but when he hit, he wasn't aiming for Lussuria, but for the lights. I was amazed he could withstand the heat of the lamps.

From what Lussuria and Reborn said, because Ryohei was dehydrated, he began to sweat, and it evaporated from the heat. Only salt from his sweat was left, and he used it to kill the lights.

The Storm Guardian leaned over and said, "You don't have to worry, see?" I nodded, but stopped as Ryohei took a near hit to the face, and Lussuria continued to fly at him with fists and kicks. Gokudera cursed under his breath.

"Ryohei-san!" I nearly screamed, seeing his Flame flare up in pain, then retreat back into his body. It showed just how much pain he was in. "Oh, no… This is bad, this is really bad." I bit my fingernails of my free hand, attempting not to worry so much.

But when I really started to worry was when Lussuria injured Ryohei's right fist, too. He wouldn't be able to fight with either of his hands now. "Okay, now you can worry…" I could see all of Ryohei's Flames dying out, recoiling back into his body. Colonello didn't even seem to notice.

"Big brother!" Kyoko had come with Hana and I-Pin. Iemitsu and Basil had come, too, and Kyoko was insanely worried about her brother. "Big brother, why? You're hurt all over!" she cried, running to the cage.

I couldn't stand hearing Kyoko's devastated cries. But that seemed to be what he needed to win. His Flames grew back, several times as strong as they were when they died. His Maximum Cannon attack blew Lussuria back, shattering the metal kneepad the Varia Guardian wore, and winning the match. But Lussuria just couldn't give up. He couldn't lose. His nervousness was well deserved; he was shot by his own teammates.

I couldn't help it; as evil as he was, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Was he going to be okay? "Lussuria-san!" I yelled, rushing to the cage. He didn't respond, and I flinched, seeing his strong Flame suddenly dying. "Guys, we have to get him help! He's not going to make it at this rate!" The Varia really was merciless… I couldn't believe that someone would want to fight for them.

I barely heard the Cerevello's announcement of the next match, but I did hear who would be fighting; "Thunder." Lambo was up next, against Levi. He wouldn't stand a chance against the older man.

As everyone left for home, only Tsuna, his father, the two kids, Reborn, Basil, and I were left. "Tsuna-kun," I began, cutting into his father's rant. He looked over at me, and I nervously said, "I'm worried about Lussuria-san. As much as he was an annoying idiot and a heartless bastard, he doesn't deserve what he got."

Tsuna nodded, agreeing. "Yeah." I fidgeted. "Dad, can you see if Lussuria's okay? I don't want Najika-chan to worry. Basil-kun, can you walk Najika-chan home?" Basil and Iemitsu quickly agreed to Tsuna's request.

"What about thou, Sawada-dono?" Basil asked quietly. "Will thou be okay to go home alone?"

A smile in his voice, Tsuna replied, "Yeah. I have Reborn and I-Pin and Lambo. I'll be fine."

Basil nodded and took my hand. "Come now, Najika-chan. Let's get thou home." He led me down from the rooftops, gently holding my hand. At that point, I was blind as a bat; one hour passed pretty quickly. "That sight of the Varia must have shocked thou."

I weakly replied, "Yes, it did, but I can't help but not be surprised by their actions. The Varia are dangerous, I understand that now. But now that I am a Guardian, I can't run away from a fight. I won't. I won't allow anyone to be hurt badly." Basil gave me an incredulous look.

Then he laughed. "Thou art quite something, art thou? I shall give my life to protect you or anyone else in the Vongola if need be. That is a promise that I intend to keep to thou." I squeezed Basil's hand gently. "I shall not allow thee to be hurt."

I didn't wish for Lambo to fight. I sighed, "Right now, I'm more worried about what could happen to Lambo-chan. If he gets hurt, I'll never forgive myself or those Varia, you know that, right Basil-kun?" He nodded.

"Let us hope that he has the strength to win," Basil agreed.

The next night, I found myself back at Namimori, Lambo snuggled up in my arms, a poncho draped over his small form. It was raining pretty hard, and I had no umbrella.

I sighed, which I found myself doing often lately. "You are such a lucky cow. To not know what's going on… I'd kill for that right about now. I only wish that you didn't have to fight."

The rain stopped hitting the top of my head and I saw Gokudera behind me, holding an umbrella over both Lambo and me. His eyes flickered from Lambo to me, then back to Lambo. "The stupid cow is a cockroach. Even if you killed him, he wouldn't die," he said. "He'll be fine."

I nodded. "Let's hope." The storm was fierce, and Lambo, in his yellow-booted glory, simply ignored the Cerevello and hopped around, singing. I watched, the hard exterior I built up for myself softening, seeing his childish innocence. "If he dies… I won't be able to forgive myself," I muttered.

Lambo stepped out onto the circuit board, with the floor shining with the lightning to face Levi. It seemed that even Gokudera was worried about Lambo. Tsuna stuck something in the little cow's hair, and watched sadly as he went off to play.

Levi stepped from the shadows, but then neither made a move. Lambo simply ignored the man in front of him, and he ended up getting electrocuted after touching the circuits under his feet. But Lambo, being Lambo, only began to cry violently. He apparently had "Electric Skin," as Reborn put it.

"Lambo! Do your best!" I cried, cheering the child on as best I could. I sent a deadly glare in Levi's direction. If I wasn't blind, or if looks could kill, Levi would be over six feet under by then.

Levi, however seemed more ready to crush the tiny assassin than ever. He hit Lambo, who flew back, and then prepared to hit him again. But, despite, Tsuna's warning, Lambo used the 10-Year Bazooka.

A fifteen-year-old Lambo decided to show up. He seemed much more calm and collected than the Lambo from ten years in the past. I was glad that he had decided to fight. He had a set of horns on and was struck by lightning. He charged, but apparently Levi's swords were all umbrellas that could shock Lambo with more voltage than even the cow could handle. He collapsed onto the floor, crying his eyes out. The adult Lambo ran to the 10-Year Bazooka and shot himself once again.

An older, much more mature, and even calmer Lambo appeared. He caught the Ring and prepared to fight. The twenty-five-year-old Lambo was much more determined than ever to win. He spoke as a dependable and responsible person. Levi Volta prepared to strike again, but Lambo took the attack, and withstood it with no problems to the adult cow. He even took the charge and reversed it on Levi, who was now excessively upset.

Basil and Iemitsu showed up, and Basil quickly rushed to my side and asked, "How is he doing?"

I replied, "He's doing fine, now that he's used the 10-Year Bazooka twice in a row, but… I'm worried about the side effects of doing so. I wonder if he's ever actually done something like this before."

"True," Basil admitted, eying the battle as well..

Something caught Lambo's eye and he knelt to pick it up. It was a pair of tattered old horns, which was what Tsuna had stuck in his hair. Levi charged at Lambo, who dodged using the horns. He said something about having been looking for them, and they were revealed to be the ones that our Lambo used. Lambo's Flame was even more confident, and he charged at Levi with a charge of lightning. It looked like Lambo was going to be winning after all.

As it turns out, only five minutes had passed since fifteen-year-old Lambo had been summoned. That was why twenty-five-year old Lambo had been called back into the future, leaving the child Lambo with us against an even angrier Levi. I gasped.

_Now what do we do?! Lambo-chan will be fried if this battle continues!_

All of us rushed to help Lambo, but we were warned that we could be disqualified. I'd seen enough when Levi shocked Lambo. Tsuna didn't even bother to care about his Ring, only his will to protect the small, helpless cow. "Tsuna-kun! No! You're the boss, let one of us go!" I yelled. Tsuna only looked back and gave me a helpless look. "… I guess that I can't stop you. Save Lambo!"

Levi was about to finish Lambo off, but Tsuna's intervention allowed Lambo time. He was in Hyper Dying Will Mode, and boy, were his Flames angry. They were bigger than I'd ever seen them before. I could see them licking at Levi's suddenly retreating green Flames, threatening to swallow them whole. He really was the one worthy to be the Tenth. Even Squalo's Flames were flickering a little in surprise.

I smiled; this was Tsunayoshi Sawada, the Vongola Tenth. Tsuna stated, "No matter how important you tell me it is… Vongola… To be next in line for boss… I can't fight for things like that." Tsuna's Flames quickly died back to their small and weak form. "But my friends… I don't want my friends to be hurt!"

I felt Xanxus's Flame as Tsuna was knocked down. I ran to Tsuna's side. "What are those eyes?" Xanxus growled. "You don't think you can actually defeat me and become the successor, do you?" I knelt next to Tsuna and tried to help him up, but those words…

**X Tsunayoshi Sawada X**

"Shut up." Everyone turned to see Najika, next to Tsuna, with her hair covering her eyes. "If Tsuna-kun can't be the boss, you're much less likely to become the Tenth. He's so much more than you'll ever be." Her eyes were revealed as she looked up at Xanxus. "It's not just the strength in your blows that counts, but it's also how much you're willing to sacrifice for your friends' safety!" she yelled, her eyes burning with anger at the Varia leader.

His eyes narrowed distinctly and his hand lit up with fire. "You… how dare you speak to me like that! You're all nothing but trash!" Xanxus's voice didn't sound angry or upset, simply amused.

She drew her gun from the holster on her leg and growled, "Do your worst, you son of a bitch." Tsuna's eyes widened. He'd never seen Najika so angry, so violent. He thought she'd really resort to shooting Xanxus at that moment in time.

Xanxus's eyes narrowed even more and he reached out to fire his gun at the blind girl. But he stopped as he saw her glassy eyes. "Your eyes. You're blind, are you not?" She nodded curtly, and the man laughed cruelly. "Vongola must be desperate to appoint a blind girl as a Guardian! Which one are you, girl?"

Her voice was wavering a little as she answered, "Wave."

"Waves are weak. So are you," Xanxus sneered, his grin sickening and cruel. "Now, woman, continue."

The Cerevello continued her speech. "I will now announce the results of the match." Tsuna didn't need to hear it to know what it was.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

Damn… not only did the Varia get Lambo's Ring, but Tsuna's, too! Even though he didn't step onto the field, the Cerevello still took his Ring.

I growled at the over confident man named Xanxus. I could see his Flames being boosted just by putting the Ring on his finger. And apparently, Xanxus had attacked the Kyuudaime, too. No one knew for what reason or what he did, but Iemitsu was determined to find out what he'd done.

And it looked like Gokudera was up next. "Remember what you told me yesterday, Gokudera-kun." He turned to me. "You're tougher than you look. We won't worry about you until you tell us to. But I believe in you, and I know you'll do just fine. Just promise me that if you're forced to chose between the Ring and your life, you'd chose your life?"

Gokudera turned to Tsuna, who nodded. "I promise." I held my pinky up for him to swear on it, and, although he grumbled about it being childish, Gokudera swore that he'd choose his life. "Now… can we go home? I'm anxious about my match…"

I turned to see the Varia watching us. "You can. Go, and get Lambo out of here. I've got something to say to these people…" They all left, some warning me to be careful. "You have some nerve, targeting a bunch of kids, Xanxus-san." He only laughed. "I'm serious! Why would you try and kill a bunch of teenagers? It's of no use; besides, Tsuna doesn't want any of us to get hurt. I'm trying not to worry him."

"You're stupid, especially for staying up here alone," someone's voice appeared next to my ear. How did he get there? "You're cute, though… I could have some fun." It was Gokudera's opponent, Belphegor. I turned to hit him, but he grabbed my wrist and held me to him. A cold object pressed to my neck. "You're feisty, too!"

I spat, "And you're sadistic."

He chuckled. "Be nice… unless you want to die." I struggled in his grip, but when I felt the blade press into my neck, I stopped. "Good. What's your name?"

Glaring down, I replied, "Najika Kamiya."

"Well, Naji-chan! I hope to see you again soon~ My name's Belphegor, by the way." He licked the side of my face and chuckled when I squirmed. "See you tomorrow night, Naji-chan~"

That boy knew how to make me upset. But he was a Varia member, and I was his enemy. I was ready to help Gokudera when he fought the next night. I would help him… even if it cost me my life, I would help him. He couldn't lose this match. He just couldn't.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Well, there's really not much to say about this one. It's pretty straightforward, and introduces the relationship between Bel and Najika. I have to say, it's one of my favorites to write, and my friend Erica, who read this earlier, asked, "Are you sure it's not a Bel and Najika romance?" After reading one of the chapters I wrote. I laughed so hard, and told her, "Read the freaking epilogue!" She did so, and was like, "Oh."**

**I used the title for obvious reasons and the song because it fits the sort of... feel of this chapter, and it's like Xanxus's theme. "Greedy little bastard" is so Xanxus, just saying.**

**Next up? Storm and Rain.**

**YAY! 59B! For all you yaoi fans, it's the epic and hot match of the century! Maybe second only to Hibari vs Bel... B18! Naw, just kidding. I'm not much of a yaoi fan myself, especially for all these sexii bishies. Like my Dera-kun! It's just a thing... I don't understand putting random bishies together, so feel free to get on my case about it, but none of them actually seem gay to me... maybe Lussuria, but yeah, that's rather obvious.**


	5. Drops of the Storm

**Episode 5: Drops of the Storm  
><strong>**"Tell me, would you kill to save a life? Tell me, would you kill to prove you're right? Crash, crash burn… Let it all burn… This hurricane's chasing us all underground."  
><strong>**-"Hurricane" by 30 Seconds to Mars.**

* * *

><p>Lambo was okay, as it seemed. I walked into the forest to see two very powerful Flames charging at each other.<p>

Flinching, I waved to interrupt the match. "I'm sorry… Lal-san said that I could find someone that could help me. I'm looking for Dino?" His name was so familiar…

The man with a Flame like Tsuna's, only more powerful, stood and laughed. "So, you're the girl that Lal sent to help me! Well, this is a pleasant surprise. I nice to see you again, Najika-chan! It's me, Dino, and this troubled young one is Kyoya Hibari!"

I bowed to the familiar man, smiling civilly. "Ah! I knew that name was familiar. It's nice to meet you, Hibari-san. I'm Najika Kamiya." Hibari's Flame was a purple that was strong, but well controlled.

"Alright, so… Lal-san… you said that she directed you here?" I confirmed Dino's statement. "Okay~ Najika-chan, you said your name was? I guess, to better train you, spar against me! It'll be fun, I promise!" I sighed; he was persistent. "Good. Now… if you can find me, you fight me!"

Then he disappeared.

With a sigh, I placed the plastic bag I was holding onto the ground. "Well then… let's play, Dino-san."

I closed my eyes and lowered my sensory vision of inanimate objects. Dino was… behind me. I turned around and raised my sensory vision again. Rushing towards him, I knocked over a ton of bamboo, which fell around him, to make sure he didn't escape, then cornered him in the high walls of bamboo.

He muttered, "Damn. You're quick." I heard him curse and then when I aimed at his face, he ducked, but stopped and fell when I kicked his leg out from under him. I felt a quick slash to the side of my face. "I'm sorry! It's bleeding…" he apologized, panicking.

It was; I could feel the blood running down my face. Although I flinched as I felt the gash, I shook it off as best I could. "Not a problem. Now…" I tried to aim punches at him, but he was a very good dodger.

He asked, "Why aren't you using your gun?"

"Lal-san wanted me to train my body to hit things, because a gun could be knocked out of my hands easily," I replied, aiming a hit at him with each word. "And she's right. I take all of Lal-san's advice to heart. She's always got a point." I finally landed a hit on him, knocking him back. Each time I missed, I felt another laceration on my arms or body.

His voice sounded worried when he said, "You're bleeding all over. Let's stop. You can't get hurt like this, especially in the middle of the Ring War." I nodded. "What's in the bag?" he asked, finally noticing the plastic bag on the ground.

I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Well… Lal-san told me that no one has seen either of you for a while, and I figured that you could use a real lunch. So, I brought you riceballs and soup, as well as some vegetables for snacks for later." I handed the bag to Dino.

Dino's voice indicated a smile. "Ah, thanks so much, Najika-chan! I'm actually kind of hungry right now… Seriously, thanks very much!"

I bowed again after I finished bandaging my new wounds. Thankfully, none were too deep. "I'll see you guys later. Gokudera-kun's match is in a while, and I promised him that I wouldn't be late. So long, Dino-san, Hibari-san." I waved to the two as I walked away.

I noticed that Hibari had only said one thing to me, when I was leaving. It was faint, but I heard a soft, "Hn," as I passed him. I could feel his gaze on me while I was walking away.

That night, I arrived with Tsuna and Basil, who I had met while I was walking home from the forest. Yamamoto and Ryohei were both there. But Gokudera wasn't. I looked around for his gray Flame. We were led down to a hallway and most of the Varia stood across from us. Lussuria and Xanxus were missing.

Belphegor laughed and called, "I told you I'd see you today, Naji-chan~ Are you ready to watch your friend lose?"

I growled fiercely. "You're the one who's going to lose, Belphegor!" I yelled back, hatred seeping deep into my voice.

The Varia's Storm jut laughed. "You, Princess, can call me Bel~" I let out a vicious growl, clenching my hands into fists again. Everything about Belphegor made me mad.

Gokudera had to come. We couldn't lose this match to the Varia. Or we'd lose everything we were fighting for. Biting my lip, I looked around for his red Flame. _Come on, Gokudera-kun… you have to get here quickly…_

My wish was granted. Just before the clock struck eleven, our favorite bomber appeared at the end of the hallway. His voice and posture were confident, and his stormy red Flame was larger with all his confidence. I rushed forward to hug him and cried, "Gokudera-kun! You made it!"

He patted my back awkwardly and replied, "I wouldn't miss this. Now, I'm going to fight, and I'm going to win." The field sounded dangerous. It didn't sound like something I would be able to survive in, but I knew that Gokudera could do it. But… fifteen minutes to win against Belphegor… that was crazy, even for them. Apparently, he could sense my worry. "I'll be fine, Wave girl."

I glared at him. "Enough with the Wave girl thing. You have to call me Najika, or so help me, I'll call you octopus-head!" He flinched. That name was clearly a touchy subject. "Now that the name thing is settled, win, just don't get killed!" Gokudera did so after dealing with his tutor, Shamal. "You can do it, Gokudera-kun!"

Belphegor's own red Flame was radiating over confidence as he deemed the match and his opponent "fun." I growled and, in my head, envisioned ways that I could go over there and tear him limb from limb without being disqualified. I was so caught up in seeing his death that I didn't even notice that Ryohei had pulled us all into the chanting circle again. They even included Lambo's tail in it.

As both Gokudera and Belphegor walked do the center, I stood with Basil. "He'll be okay, right, Basil-kun?" Basil looked at me and nodded. "Good. 'Cause if he dies… I'll never forgive him."

Basil smiled. "It is quite hard to forgive a dead person, isn't it?" he asked teasingly. I smiled and laughed quietly.

It was hard to think throughout the entire match. Belphegor's knives were really fast and at points, I didn't think that Gokudera could've won. It was like Belphegor could read the wind when the Hurricane Turbines went off, whereas Gokudera and his bombs were rendered useless. Belphegor's knives almost always hit their target, and that had me worried. He looked almost… like a child. A sociopath child that liked to play with knives, that was what Belphegor reminded me of.

_Twelve minutes left…_

Basil was telling me everything that happened, since I couldn't see the life forces on the screen.

He told me that Gokudera was having a hard time. He hadn't even been able to toss one bomb at his opponent. Belphegor's knives were still able to hit him, no matter what he did. I heard Gokudera's painful cry and winced. A knife to the shoulder was a real disadvantage.

Then everything stopped. Belphegor threw a handful of knives, and they hit their target perfectly. I gasped as I heard the sound of the knives hitting their target.

"Gokudera-kun!"

The figure crashed through the window. It wasn't Gokudera, but a model from the science room. Turns out that when Belphegor had patted Gokudera on the shoulder, he put wires on them. When the knives were thrown at Gokudera, they were bound to hit because of the wire.

Just because the wire was gone doesn't mean that the match got any easier. There were still those damned turbines to worry about. The bombs were thrown, but those turbines didn't stop them. Instead, they changed direction and flew right at Belphegor, who seemed to take the full brunt of the attack. Maybe Gokudera would make it out of this match as the winner.

But then… Belphegor… he appeared unharmed. He began to cackle, and he sounded absolutely furious. Because Gokudera had landed that attack, Bel was now a very upset prince.

He was still laughing almost two minutes later. The clock was ticking, and I could sense how anxious the rest of my friends were. Gokudera threw his Rocket Bombs again, but Bel simply slashed all of them. Every move he made was with reason. He truly was a genius. Gokudera was doomed if he didn't start thinking straight. But he didn't let a point blank attack stop him. Bel sat up again, still unharmed, except for the brain damage. He was completely insane, not to mention that Gokudera was injured badly.

_Six minutes remaining…_

Gokudera vanished into the library, where Bel quickly followed him. His knives cut right through all the bombs that were thrown. For every knife that was thrown, Gokudera was cut by some unseen force. That's when I realized; if Bel could send knives along a wire, why couldn't he have surrounded someone with wires? Reborn and Shamal had the same thought.

Bel was smart, really smart. Gokudera was cornered, and running out of time. He was surrounded by wires, but he wasn't giving up. He had dropped his lighter on purpose earlier to destroy the wall that the wires were attached to. Sagging wires won't hurt. Since that worked, Gokudera's bombs were thrown once again, this time, onto the wires towards Bel. No escape and no mercy. Bel was cornered this time.

Gokudera won. It was as good as over. But Bel wasn't about to give up.

_Three minutes until explosions…_

Belphegor seemed to be injured in his side, lying eagle-spread on the ground, covered in rubble. His Flame was almost dying. Just as Gokudera grabbed the Ring, Bel began to attempt to strangle him, grabbing for the Ring. The match must have worn Gokudera out, since he had no energy to fight back.

_Time's up._

When the turbines began to explode, Gokudera and Bel were still wrestling on the floor. Shamal was practically begging Gokudera to come back, but, being Gokudera, he wouldn't stop until he won. He was in fear of shaming himself. He was going to break our promise. Tears filled my eyes and I leaned on Basil for support. Tsuna seemed to see my tears.

"Knock it off!" Tsuna cried. "Why do you think we're fighting?! We're all going to have a snow fight and watch fireworks together! That's why we're fighting! That's why we're growing stronger! I want to laugh with everyone, but if you die, it's all meaningless! And… you're breaking your promise to Najika-chan!"

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

He was breaking his promise. How could he forget the pinky promise he made with Najika only the night before? What kind of friend forgets things like that? He remembered the pleading look on Najika's face when she made him swear him to come back.

_"Just promise me that if you're forced to chose between the Ring and your life, you'd chose your life?"_

_"I promise."_

A long drawn out beep.

**_Boom._**

**X Najika Kamiya X**

No.

This couldn't be happening.

There was no way that Gokudera would break our promise.

_"I promise."_

He wouldn't. He couldn't.

I began to sob silently, my shoulders shaking with pain.

He and Basil were the closest I've ever been to people. I could always trust him to make me feel better. I was practically hidden in Basil's jacket, clinging to him for dear life, while he just murmured soothing words to me.

But it couldn't make me feel better like Gokudera could.

"Look over there!" I followed where Reborn was gazing. A red Flame, almost dead. A single tall, skinny figure. Limping, but otherwise unharmed. We all rushed to Gokudera, to see him collapse. I gasped and knelt next to him, grabbing his hand.

He rasped weakly, "I'm sorry, Juudaime. While the Ring was taken from me, I came back because I wanted to see those fireworks, and I wanted to keep my promise to you, Najika-chan. I'm not the kind of person to break promises to a friend."

I cried even harder and as he sat up, I hugged him immediately. "You really are stupid. Those stupid Rings don't matter to me. I just want you coming back safe. But you kept your promise, and that's what matters." He rubbed my back gently. "You won to me. You beat him, fair and square. Bel's just a persistent little worm, you know that."

He muttered, "I made you cry. I'll try not to make you cry again, Najika-chan. I promise. And you know I keep promises." I did know. He'd kept his promise today, and I knew he'd always keep his promises to me.

"Gokudera-kun… you're hurt. Come on, sit up. I knew you weren't going to get out unscathed, so I brought something to help ease the pain." I pulled a roll of bandages and medicine for scratches. "It may not stop the bleeding, but it's something."

Gokudera hissed as I applied the medicine to the cuts on his face. "Ouch." I quickly recoiled, frowning at his pain. "Keep going," he urged, "it'll hurt a lot more if you don't."

A soldier under Levi announced that someone had showed up outside of the school. I smiled; who else would it be but the boy with the purple Flame?

I wrapped the bandages around Gokudera's wound in his side, ignoring his flinch of pain. The soldier who ran around the corner was knocked back in front of us with a painful cry. I smiled a bit as Kyoya Hibari himself walked out to face us.

"The Cloud has arrived," I said to myself, humming a soft song.

Hibari turned a corner, his Flame just as irritated as he always seemed to be. Snickering at the predicament, I bit my lip and prepared for the confrontation.

The Cloud Guardian glared at the Varia, and threatened in his calmest voice, "Trespassing on school grounds," his gaze switched to the floor, "as well as destruction of school property…" He glared at Tsuna now. "You are all jointly guilty, and I'm going to bite you all to death."

_… mmkay then, Hibari-san._

His solemn gaze switched to me bandaging up Gokudera. I noticed quickly and waved. "Hey, Hibari-san! Good to see you again; I take it you whipped Dino's ass during that training of his?" He nodded to me, saying nothing. "That's good. You fared a lot better than I did, I guess, since it doesn't look like you have a lot cuts or bruises." I could feel his eyes flickered to the cut on my face. "Oh, it's fine, Hibari-san. No need to worry!"

Levi attacked him head on, but Hibari simply stepped aside and tripped him. "Shall I bite you to death first?"

I gaped as Hibari aimed at Yamamoto, who had stepped in to calm the skylark. Yamamoto stepped back and grabbed Hibari's tonfa. I gaped at him; his movements were those of a swordsman. Reborn calmed him down, but then… he mentioned the name "Mukuro," and Hibari stopped fighting. Gokudera stood up shakily and I held onto him as he fell back against the window. With that, the Varia were gone.

Gokudera stood once again, nearly tripping and falling as he did so, and Tsuna worriedly exclaimed, "Gokudera-kun!"

He protested violently, "This is just a scratch!" Tsuna and Basil asked that Shamal would see to Gokudera's wounds. But the pervert decided he wouldn't since he wasn't a girl. He departed with a smirk that even a blind girl could see.

"I guess we have no choice. Romario, take a look at him." I knew that voice. Dino, the head of the Cavallone Family.

Romario quickly walked over to Gokudera and looked at him. "You were beaten pretty badly. But it looks like your wounds have already been bandaged well. Did you do this, Kamiya-sama?" I nodded, keeping quiet. "Well, it looks like you've done a good job with his wounds. Just be sure to help him change his bandages. You must really care about him."

I could feel my face grow red. "Of course I care about Gokudera-kun. He's been nothing but nice to me."

Romario chuckled, but said nothing. He continued to inspect Gokudera's cuts and scratches, correcting some of my wrappings. It was like he realized something no one else knew, which irritated me to no end.

Dino was saying something about Hibari, and how he would continue to grow. He'd grown stronger from the training, and, even though he was a handful, he was very strong. I knew just from the controlled Flame he had how much control he had over his strength.

"Squalo was meant to be Varia's boss."

So, he was strong. His light blue Flame was incredibly big, even compared to the rest of the Varia, save for Xanxus. His skills with the sword were going to be tough for Yamamoto to beat. Even the way he spoke was with the utmost confidence. Winning or losing didn't matter; it was more or less just being able to crush his opponent completely that mattered to him.

Training proceeded as usual the next day. I was fully concentrating on who I would be fighting. Only one person was left for me to fight, and that was the baby, Mammon. He seemed calmer than the rest of the Varia.

Lal and I were sitting on my porch, eating lunch. "Lal-san?" She made a small noise. "Do you know anything about Mammon?"

She shook her head, taking a bite out of her riceball. "No, sorry, kid. All I know is that he's the Varia's Mist user."

"Eh?! Then who's their Wave user?" I asked.

She shrugged, picking up another riceball. "No one knows. Apparently, they don't have one. But that only means that you'll win by default." I frowned; why was I training at all, then? "Hopefully that's enough for you guys to win the matches and for that wimpy kid to become the Vongola Tenth."

I was still thinking about what Lal had said when I dashed to Namimori. Yamamoto was going to win. I just knew it.

Everyone else was already there when I arrived, and I stood with Basil and Gokudera, the latter heavily covered in bandages. I giggled when I saw his muffled Flame, the usually fierce storm suddenly tamed.

Jokingly grinning, I teased, "Back from Egypt so soon, Gokudera-kun? Did you meet the pharaohs?"

"Shaddup," he muttered, his voice muffled behind the walls of fabric. "This is the result of Dino-san's bodyguard… Romario… and the turf-head bandaging me up, the idiots." I laughed as he struggled to get the bandages off of his head so he could at least breathe. I moved his hand away to remove them for him. "Thanks," he breathed, taking deep breaths.

The field was in the South Tower. It was wet, and I could hear running water everywhere. Basically; the longer the match took, the higher the water level will rise. A fierce creature would be released after a certain amount of time. The loser would be swallowed.

"Ah, sounds like fun!" The obnoxious voice of Bel floated to my ears. "Eh? Oh~! Naji-chan's here~ Now I can have some real fun!" He laughed dangerously as I backed up a bit. Bel was crazy.

I scanned the crowd of Varia. There was Bel, Levi, Mammon, Gola Mosca, and… Xanxus. He showed up, it seemed. And his Flame had grown even more since the last time I saw his Flame. I didn't know it was possible. I took another step back in fear.

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

Just before the match started, Dino showed up and greeted everyone. The baseball idiot had to win. Gokudera was shocked when the turf-head said that they should pull Hibari into their chanting circle.

Najika, on the other hand, burst out laughing. "He'd obliterate you all in a minute." Gokudera had to agree, as much as he didn't want to.

It was Juudaime that saved them. "Now, now. Not as a replacement, but how about we let Basil-kun in?" Everyone looked expectantly at the blonde, and Najika even pulled him into the circle, along with Lambo's tail.

The baseball idiot stayed inside, but everyone else was escorted outside. The Rain Guardian didn't seem worried in the slightest. Basil was relaying everything that happened to Najika. The long-hair immediately began to rush at the idiot, and kept attacking, even when he missed. The first part of the battle was mostly the idiot running from the long-hair's attacks and attempting to stay alive. But he revealed his sword style, the Shigure Souen, and the form Spraying Rain, avoiding death by using his sword.

Najika laughed as he relayed the moves to her. "Squalo-san could never beat Yamamoto-kun! Especially since he's mastered the whole Shigure Souen."

His Rolling Rain form saved him again from being cut in half. Dino, however, was worried. The idiot looked really confident, as he should've, after learning how to use all eight forms of the sword style.

He jumped at the long-hair and switched the sword from his left hand to his right, landing a hit using Early Summer Rain. The long-hair fell back into the water. But… it didn't seem to work. In fact, the hit was nonexistent. He'd jumped back, not allowed the hit to land.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

Squalo was too overconfident. He knew everything about Shigure Souen. I grimaced as I heard Squalo's yell and Yamamoto's cry of pain as his shoulder was slashed. I grabbed Gokudera's hand and squeezed as I heard a splash. Maybe this wasn't going to be so easy.

I noticed a strong force on the roof of the school. It could only have been one person. The infrared sensor was only in front of the tower, so I decided to check it out. "Hey, Gokudera-kun?" He made a small noise. "Tell me what happens. There's someone on top of the roofs."

I raced up the stairs and emerged on top of a building. The dark blue Flame of a Mist user was flashing before me. I knew who it was; this person had the same feel and presence as _him_. "Mukuro?" I called.

The Flame user turned towards me and asked, in a light, feminine voice, "Who are you? How do you know Mukuro-sama?"

So she knew Mukuro. It was a start, at least. Then, there were two more Flames in my vision range. The Flames of a Sun user and a Rain user, a yellow and a light blue. "Ken, Chikusa, what is it?"

Ken… and Chikusa… Ken Joshima and Chikusa Kakimoto? "Ken and Chikusa! It's me, Najika Kamiya!" I called suddenly.

Ken's loud voice exclaimed, "Najika-chan! It's been a while. Mukuro said to tell you that he says hello, and that the next time you see him, he'll be stronger than before. Now, what're you doing here?"

"I'm in the Ring Battle. What are you doing here?"

Huffing, Chikusa replied, "Same as you. Only, she's the one in the Ring Battle, not us." Who was the "she" Chikusa was talking about? "I don't know why Mukuro-sama insisted we protect her."

The girl replied, "I get why you don't, it's all right. You'll see who I am later in these battles, Kamiya-san. I can't reveal my name now. But for now, you may refer to me by Mukuro-sama's name."

I nodded. "Very well. I will, Mukuro-san. If you're the Mist user, that means that your battle is coming up within the next three days. I hope that you're able to attend." I heard a yell coming from below, and I frowned at the situation. "… I guess that means I should be getting back. I hope to see you again later." I bowed to the three and left the roof.

As I got down to the ground, I arrived in time to hear Yamamoto's name being called, then, his voice calling, "I won!" I could practically hear the smile in his voice. Waving my hand in front of the infrared sensor, I ran up to the door.

But the Cerevello had other plans, as did Xanxus. "The ferocious sea animal is going to be released. It's too dangerous to do into the Aquarion right now." They weren't going to even bother to save Squalo, but Yamamoto just wouldn't give him up. I could hear the arguments between the two swordsmen. Squalo was prepared to die at the hands of the shark.

… Dead.

Another one of the Varia was gone. They'd gotten rid of Lussuria and Bel was injured badly. Now, Squalo was dead, eaten by the shark. Xanxus didn't seem too displeased with his subordinate's death. No one deserved to die like that, not even scum like Squalo. Even Tsuna thought so.

The next match was to be between the Mist Guardians. But our Mist Guardian hadn't shown herself to anyone besides me. Even so, I had to track her down by myself with no hints but her Flame.

And I knew that my match was coming up soon. I couldn't afford to lose. Not when everyone was counting on me.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Wow. Um... this was somewhat dramatic, and kind of weird. But I had fun writing it, so that's all that matters. But anyways, I chose the song Hurricane by 30 Seconds to Mars for obvious reasons. And as for Chikusa and Ken calling Mukuro "Mukuro-sama," tell me, and I'll change it. Right now, I'm just too lazy to go look it up, plus I have almost no internet right now. I'm doing this in like, two minutes. It's kind of sad. Hurricane Irene hit where I am, and since I live in the middle-of-freaking-nowhere, the power lines got knocked out pretty fast, so I'm stuck watching Ao no Exorcist, and using my phone to reply and stuff. Sad, really. But anyways, I hope you enjoyed this.**


	6. Abandoned in an Unknown World

**Episode 6: Abandoned in an Unknown World  
><strong>**"A phrasing that's a single tear, is harder than I ever feared, and you were left feeling so alone… Because these days aren't easy like they have been once before… These days aren't easy anymore…"  
><strong>**-"Why" by Secondhand Serenade**

* * *

><p>No way. There was no way they could do this to me. Why? Was I not strong enough to win, or something? Was it because I was blind? If it wasn't, then why did they all betray me like that? Even Gokudera was against me.<p>

So there I was, on the streets, walking around Namimori aimlessly, kicking pebbles and empty soda cans. I'd run so far that I didn't know where I was anymore. I slid down onto a bench and sighed. I never expected any of them to say what they did…

_"No way, Reborn! I don't want Najika-chan fighting in this war." Tsuna? What was he saying about me not fighting? "It's not right, and it's not what I want!"_

_He didn't want me fighting? I heard another voice add, "She's not up to the task. I mean, none of us were, but she's at a bigger disadvantage than the rest of us. She's blind, right?" Yamamoto, too? What were they all doing?_

_Another familiar voice chimed in, "Remember, Reborn, I was against this from the very beginning." Dino. He was saying that I shouldn't fight, too… "I've seen her improve, but she's still not going to be strong enough to beat whoever they send out."_

_"I don't think she should let her fight either." I gasped, feeling tears form in the corners of my eyes. Gokudera had banded against me, too? "She's going to die out there."_

_I… wasn't… that weak…_

_Reborn snapped, "Stop being overprotective. She'll be fine! Her tutor is a friend of mine, and she said that Najika is doing just fine while training. She's strong enough." Tsuna sputtered a response, but the baby interrupted him. "Dame-Tsuna, stop being stupid. I said you're going to need her, and you are."_

_Gokudera's loud protest rang through my ears. "But she's going to die! These guys are professional hitmen, Reborn! Najika-chan doesn't have a chance against them." I'd had enough of their doubts._

_They all turned as I slowly pushed open the door, the wood creaking as it revealed my form. My eyes were trained on the floor as I spoke. "You really don't want me fighting in this battle, do you?" I ignored Tsuna's wild protests. "Why? Am I not good enough to be part of this or something? Is it because I'm blind?! Why?"_

_Tsuna cried, "You don't understand, Najika-chan!"_

_Venom seeped into my voice as I snapped, "I understand perfectly well. You don't want me to be a part of this. Fine. Here, take this stupid Ring! It's brought me nothing but trouble! Just leave me out of it!" I tossed the Ring on the ground and stalked off, ignoring the cries of my friends behind me._

_I wasn't sure if they realized how badly their doubt hurt. But I'd promised to stay out of that fight if they didn't want me. And they didn't._

_What were they trying to do? Protect me?_

_I'd show them that I didn't need their protection. Not one bit. I'd be stronger than they ever expected._

It'd been hours. I knew what I did was stupid and kind of bitchy, but I couldn't help but not want to go back. They really had doubted me. How could they? I'd done nothing but stand there with them from the start, and I was being told I couldn't fight? I'd worked too hard for too long to give up now.

"Why are you crying, Princess?" I knew that voice.

**X Tsunayoshi Sawada X**

She just left. Not even a goodbye left her mouth. She walked out of the house without the Wave Ring. She'd quit for good.

Everyone was solemn. They'd just wanted to protect her from getting hurt. They hadn't taken her feelings about the fight into account. She really wanted to fight. She probably thought that they didn't like her, or thought that she was useless towards them. When she wasn't. But they didn't want to see her hurt.

Tsuna sighed. "We should try to find her. She's out there somewhere, and we need a Wave Guardian… What if something happened to her?" He stood and ordered, "Yamamoto-kun, get Basil-kun. We've got to find her before the Varia do." Everyone nodded and ran off different directions.

The Vongola Tenth was about to run out the door when his tutor's voice hit him. "This is why I told you to be careful. Waves are sensitive to people, and when they're hurt, they lash out at anyone. I warned you about this. Now you're going to pay the price."

Tsuna clenched his fists and ran out the door, Reborn's words echoing in his head as he ran out the door. He wanted so badly to find Najika now. If something happened to her because of this… He couldn't bear to think of it.

_Najika-chan… I'm really, really sorry. I didn't mean to doubt you… Come home, please?_

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

Gokudera dashed east towards the park. The whole group had been searching for at least an hour and had all come up empty-handed. This was the only place that the group hadn't checked.

A head of long, wavy, brown hair caught his eye. She was sitting on a park bench, her legs tucked up against her chest. He was about to call out to the girl when he noticed blonde hair next to her.

Bel. Damn him.

Her head was on his shoulder and she was crying, her shoulders wracked with sobs. Did what they said make her cry? Gokudera suddenly felt something gnawing at his insides, much like a monster trying to claw its way out.

He felt what it was made of; guilt, anger, jealousy, and so many other negative emotions. Bel, the sadistic prince of the Varia, was flirting with Najika, comforting her over something he'd said. How could he not be angry?

_Wait,_ a voice inside him said,_ you are the one who made her cry…_

**_That wasn't me!_**

_Gosh, you're stupid. What you said must've hurt her. I'm you, you idiot, and I've noticed the bags under her eyes. She hasn't been sleeping very well since this thing started._

**_She hasn't? She hasn't been training, has she?_**

_Why are you asking me? I'm you; if you don't know, I don't know. All I did was notice the dark circles under her eyes. Clearly, I'm just more observant._

**_Harsh._**

_Thanks. Now, what are you going to do about it?_

Gokudera had no answer for the voice inside his head. But, instead of going over to confront Bel like he was originally going to, he stayed back and listened. What he heard made his chest hurt even more.

Najika was sobbing. "I don't know what to do anymore, Bel-kun. They're my friends, and I don't want to hurt them. But… they hurt me a lot. I felt really useless, you know?" He looked at her through his long bangs as she laughed shakily. "Why am I telling you this? You're part of the Varia, you wouldn't understand. I should hate you."

Bel shrugged. "You're right, I don't, and you should." She moved her head to glare at him. "Hey, at least I'm honest. I may not understand feeling useless, but I do understand betrayal. Hell, I'm usually the one betraying. Besides, you need to talk."

She moved to get up, but Bel pulled her back onto his lap. "Bel, what are you doing? Let me up!" she cried, struggling against his grip. He whispered something in her ear that Gokudera couldn't hear, but that made her go limp, wide-eyed with shock, as Bel chuckled evilly.

_The hell is that bastard saying to her?!_

"I couldn't," she was saying. "That goes against everything I know…" Her voice was quiet, a mere whisper.

The Prince the Ripper shrugged again. "An eye for an eye."

"You're… that's horrible."

Bel merely chuckled. "Thanks, Princess," he nodded, nuzzling her neck. Gokudera's monster started to eat away at his insides when he saw how Najika didn't protest against Bel's tacky display of affection. "You know you'd make a good one."

She sighed. "I can't kill." He moved to say something to her again, but she interrupted him. "No, Bel-kun. I don't want to. I've seen what you do, and I don't want to be on the receiving end of that."

He laughed louder than usual and mockingly crooned, "You afraid, Princess?" To the Vongola Storm Guardian's shock, Najika nodded her head. "You are, huh? Well, there's really no need. Sure, we're a little," he paused, looking for a word, "rough, but you'd get along great with us."

Scoffing, the Wave Guardian replied, "Yeah, right."

"Your boyfriend broke his promise. I remember him promising that he'd never make you cry."

Both Najika and Gokudera froze. "He did, didn't he?" she asked softly, a breeze ruffling her hair. There was a moment of silence before she added, "He's not my boyfriend, you know." Gokudera glared at the ground. He really had fucked up this time. "I'm so stupid."

Bel's voice was uncharacteristically soft as he asked, "Do you love him? That other Storm Guardian?" The silver-haired bomber's head snapped up, but she either didn't answer or had moved her head to confirm or deny. "I thought so." He'd desperately wanted to know what she said.

Desperately? Why desperately? Maybe it was because… Gokudera wanted to know that Najika loved him?

Nah, that was stupid. All he needed was Juudaime's approval, and he'd be the happiest person around, right? … Right? Shit, who was he trying to fool? He wanted her to love him, he craved it, he needed it. … And he couldn't believe how corny those thoughts sounded.

Then he realized that he'd broken both of his promises. He completely forgot about his first one, and almost died, which made her cry. The sight of Najika's tears almost snapped Gokudera's heart in two, knowing that _he'd_ caused them. That was when he promised that he'd never make her cry again. Because that worked out so well, right? Yeah, of course. He wasn't good with girls. He wasn't good with words. He was only good with bombs and fighting. Some talent for a future, huh? He felt so damn stupid and useless in helping her.

Why would she ever love him?

**X Najika Kamiya X**

I did love him. I had tried to convince myself that it was just puppy love, or… or Hero Syndrome! Yeah, that was it. He was always nice to me, so I convinced myself that I was in love with him! That had to be it.

Well, I'm stupid. Seriously though. If you'd only known this guy for a week and a half and he's probably one of the first guy you've ever talked to who didn't give you pity because of your… "disability," wouldn't you fall for him, too? Why couldn't I just fall in love with Yamamoto, or Hibari, or even Tsuna? Why'd it have to be Gokudera, of all people?

And Bel. How the hell did he know so fast? He knew before I even knew myself. That was creepy. Was he stalking me? He always seemed so different around me for some reason.

It was the only time we were alone, but he was like a completely different person. He wasn't mean or cruel or sadistic or even perverted. He just listened and understood.

Why couldn't he be like that all the time? Maybe then, I would've fallen for him. But then again, that probably wouldn't have been any easier. Falling for someone in the mafia must never end well.

I sighed and leaned against the bench. "Why did I have to fall for the one person that could never love someone like me?" I asked quietly, so quietly that I was pretty sure that not even Bel caught it.

But he did, and he replied, "It's just the way love works, I guess." I had to wonder if Bel understood love better than he cared to share. "I know that you're going to refuse again, but I have to ask you again; would you be willing to think about that proposal?"

Looking down, I pushed my head in my hands. "I… I don't know… If they don't want me to fight, then what use would I be to you?"

He shrugged and replied, "We need a Wave Guardian, you want to fight. We both win, you know?" I paused, thinking about it. For a psychotic Prince, Bel did make quite a bit of sense. "You are considering it!" he exclaimed gleefully.

After a good five minutes of thinking, I sighed. "Fine. I agree."

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

She agreed. She was done with the Guardians. Done with Juudaime, done with the baseball idiot, done with Basil…

Done with Gokudera.

She had chosen to leave them to fight without her. The brunette girl lifted her hand, and the Varia's Prince took it, holding it almost gently, as if he'd break her any minute if he was any rougher with her. He wasn't even being that rough.

Gokudera's fists shook. He wanted to call out, to tell her that they needed her, that he wanted her to come back. He couldn't even think of anything but having her back at his side. If she was done with them, she wouldn't have to make him pinky promise that he was going to stay alive.

Some part of the Japanese-Italian thought that she was overreacting. Another part thought that it was him that was just being plain stupid for letting her go. But the third part of him just didn't care if she fell of a cliff at this point. He wanted to strangle that part of himself, hell, he would get brainwashed if it meant he wouldn't think that way anymore.

Just because he wanted to yell to get her back, doesn't mean he could form words. Every time he tried to say something, he just couldn't. He couldn't find the right words to bring her back, the words he knew she'd want to hear.

There was lump in his throat as he watched her retreating figure.

His fists tightened seeing their two hands intertwined.

As the tears streamed like rivers, he saw his last chance.

His last chance was gone. He'd missed his chance to stop her. What had he been so afraid of? So what if she was still mad at him? So what if she slapped him or called him a jerk? So what? Just what did it matter?

It wasn't like he didn't already know that. It wasn't like he didn't accept that he was.

It wouldn't have bothered him if she said that.

What bothered him was how much his chest burned when she held hands with that little bastard. He thought that she hated him.

_I guess that when you're broken, you turn to whoever you can._

**_Fuck off._**

_… Good luck getting her back._

**_Whatever._**

He sighed and looked up. She was gone, with Belphegor.

Before he knew it, his fist was raised, and slammed against the brick wall of the alley next to him. He didn't even leave a dent in the stone. All he got was an injured hand, his knuckles bruised and bleeding from the impact. She would've freaked out if she saw that. Just that thought brought a small smile to his face. He knew exactly what she'd say.

_"Gokudera-kun! What happened to you? Come on. Let's get that hand bandaged, and if it's broken, we'll go get a cast for it."_

Maybe… maybe it was all a bad dream. A nightmare. Gokudera hadn't had one of those in years. Ever since he held a bomb, he hadn't been scared of anything, not even death. Now, he was scared of one thing. He was scared that he'd lost the only girl who didn't like him only for his looks, but for who he was. He was scared that he'd made her cry for the third time in a week.

He was just so utterly talented, wasn't he?

Note the sarcasm.

Glaring at the ground, Gokudera proceeded to sluggishly trudge back to Juudaime's home. He'd failed Juudaime, failed to get her back to them. Angrily kicking an empty soda can, he glared in the general direction of where the two left. He wouldn't ever let himself feel so empty and hateful ever again. He shouldn't be feeling that against her. Why did he let himself sink so low as to doubt her?

He almost dreaded going back to Juudaime's house. How would he tell everyone else what she'd done? It was all of their faults, but she was like the little sister. Even Dino would be torn by what she'd done.

What they'd said had driven her to betray them. She was fighting against them. Maybe they wouldn't have to win against her, but they'd only have to knock some sense into her. Not even.

Oh, God, what was wrong with him? He was worried about those damn Rings now? Well, if it wasn't for those Rings, maybe they'd all just be _nice_, _normal_ friends. Normal… yeah, right. Of course they could be normal.

There it was. The Sawada home. He was about to twist open the doorknob when he hesitated. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to tell them what happened. He grimaced and turned away, shoving his hands in his pockets. Behind him, the door flung open and the baseball idiot called, "Gokudera! What happened? Did you find Najika-chan?"

At her name, the silver-haired bomber visibly winced. "Yeah," he replied quietly. "But she's not going to be coming back." The baseball idiot turned serious at his fellow Guardian's reply, and he practically dragged Gokudera back inside, where the rest of the Guardians, Dino, and Reborn were sitting, all of them solemn.

It took a little while for him to explain what he'd seen and what she had done. "And I guess… I guess that it just pushed her to the edge. She'd been working hard, and she hasn't been sleeping. Us doubting her must've pushed her over," he finished, looking down at his hands.

A long, serious pause loomed over the group. "Gokudera-kun." The Storm Guardian raised his head. "It's not your fault," Juudaime stated firmly, the look in his eyes hardening. "We were all at fault."

Another knock on the door interrupted them. Juudaime stood up, albeit shakily, and answered the door. A tiny figure stormed in, sending chilling glares at all of the people in the room. "What the hell did you say to her?" the Arcobaleno demanded, putting her small hands on her hips. "She packed up a bag of clothes and the whole box of medication that she was supposed to take, and then she left. She didn't even say anything of why she was leaving!"

Reborn jumped down from his place on the table. "Lal. She betrayed the Vongola and is now siding with the Varia." Lal's glare was so fierce that even Gokudera figured not to cross her.

"Hmph. You retarded little shits deserved that much for hurting her," she snapped, shooting one last glare around the room. "By the way, now you're going to lose for sure. You're down, two to three. The kid's tougher than any of you think."

They didn't even have a Wave, and Mist and Cloud were still no-shows.

Yep, they were screwed.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Next up, is the Mist Battle, because I was _way_ too lazy to write the Wave Battle first, and plus, the characters introduced in the next chapter have rather important relationships to the battle with Najika. Also, I've recently gotten into several series, and I'm pretty much done with this story, I'm thinking of putting a poll up on my profile again, only this time, you would vote for the Fandom rather than the Story itself. Anyways, I'm also going to be recommending new series and stuff now, because KHR is over and done with, and I've been hooked on several of these.**

**-Ao no Exorcist  
>-Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteru<br>-Wolf's Rain  
>-Hakuouki<br>****-07-Ghost  
>-Durarara!<strong>

**All of them are distinctly different from KHR, but they have their similarities and charms. Those are also a few of the choices of my next story.**

**Oh, by the way, guess who the Wave Guardian is if you want; I highly doubt anyone is expecting who it really is. I tried to be original with it, so please don't say that I made it too obvious, 'cause I purposely made her build up good and bad relationships so you'll have to guess who the new Wave Guardian is.**

* * *

><p><strong>I think I forgot to add this:<strong>

**-dono - Only Basil uses this. It's an old Japanese suffix**


	7. Things are No Different

**Episode 7: Things are No Different  
><strong>**"I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house… that don't bother me… I can take a few tears now and then and just let 'em out… I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while, even though going on with you gone still upsets me. There are days, every now and again I pretend I'm okay… But that's not what gets me."  
><strong>**-"What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts**

* * *

><p>Bel had taken me back to the mansion that was the Varia's temporary headquarters. It was there that I was introduced to the remaining Varia; Leviathan, or Levi, Mammon, the Mist Guardian, and Xanxus, the boss and Sky Guardian. Levi usually just ignored me while Mammon decided to accompany Bel and show me around. I never really saw Xanxus, though. It was like he always did something totally different.<p>

I admit that I missed the Vongola Guardians a lot. We would hang out whenever we could, not spend time isolating ourselves from each other.

To be quite honest, Bel was the only one of the Varia that treated me "normally." By "normally", I mean dropping suggestive hints and sexually harassing me whenever we were near the other three, then yes, it was very normal. But he was also quite kind when it was just the two of us.

Probably the most interesting thing I learned was that Mammon had a special power up his sleeve, and would use it to wipe out his opponent easily. That was the only time we were all together. I was changing Bel's bandages around his chest, which he sort of forced-slash-blackmailed me to do, and Levi and Xanxus were just sitting around somewhere.

I was helping Bel around, as he wasn't used to his crutches yet, when he noticed that Mammon was outside with his forehead lowered onto a piece of paper. "What's he doing?" I asked. Bel shook his head and motioned for me to be quiet.

Mammon turned and asked, "Is that you, Najika, Bel." Damn. Not even a question! He knew we were there, no matter how quiet Bel was.

The Prince only chuckled a bit. "As expected of Mammon. I though I masked both of our presences." It was almost nice to be included in his sentence. Yeah, not really… "Thoughtography again? Did you find their Mist Guardian?"

"Of course not," Mammon deadpanned. I almost giggled, despite the confusing situation I was in. Bel hobbled over to the ledge Mammon was standing on, leaving me behind him. "But I did get this." He turned the paper. I saw two letters written in the dark blue flame of a Mist user. _C… d…_ "Someone is trying to shield themselves against my Thoughtography."

Bel's voice asked, "CD? That code for something?"

The tiny Mist Guardian replied, "I don't know. It's the first time this has happened. My opponent is special, like me."

Prince the Ripper laughed his signature laugh. "Special, huh? That's fine. If I get to see your power, I'll be happy."

"I'm charging you an observation fee," Mammon quipped, not even turning when Bel threatened him.

Basically, what they did every day was act like normal people and be kind to one another, to an extent, at least, but then when they get bored or someone says something that another doesn't like, they fight? Wow. Bel even went so far as to pull out a few of his knives.

I sighed, crossing my arms.

It was kind of sad how used to fighting I was. "Come on, Bel. If you hurt Mammon now, we're bound to lose tonight." Bel's gaze was almost patronizing. "I'm not scared he'll hurt you, I'm more scared that you'll cut our favorite Mist user into ribbons." My voice was dripping with sarcasm as I pulled him back inside. "You'd better win, Mammon."

The Mist match was up. Mammon was facing the unknown Mist Guardian of Tsuna's that no one even knew their name. "Hey, girl," Xanxus called. I turned to look at him as we were heading towards the middle school. "Who is the Mist Guardian?"

I shook my head, a cold look on my face while talking to him. "No clue. Reborn never told any of us. All he said was that we wouldn't regret having that person as the Guardian." Of course, I knew that the girl I met with Ken and Chikusa had something to do with it. "I may know who it is, but I'm not entirely sure."

He scoffed and turned back to face the ground in front of us. "Useless."

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

She didn't show up at school that day. Najika was gone. Kyoko hadn't even heard from her, and when Juudaime, Gokudera, and the baseball idiot checked at her house, Lal Mirch was nowhere to be found. She and all her huge, crazy weapons were missing. The house was completely deserted.

But the group had to get to Namimori Middle, and fast, or they'd all miss the Mist match, and risk losing another Ring. Then, the Varia would have won the entire thing, no questions asked.

Gokudera looked at the empty house, void of the girl he knew less than a day ago, and sighed sadly. He turned to walk away from the house, giving it one last, wistful look as he went.

_Najika-chan, come back to us soon._

**X Najika Kamiya X**

The school was almost empty when we got there. Only the Cerevello were there before us.

One by one, Tsuna's Guardians arrived. Yamamoto, Ryohei, and… and Gokudera. I couldn't even look at him. I had received a message from Tsuna about how sorry everyone was about four hours before the match. But I'd ignored it, not willing to give in just yet. My stubborn streak was kicking in.

I looked away from them, trying to figure out where we were. _Damn._ We were in the gym. More fun for Mammon, I guessed. That was if, only if, the Vongola Mist decided to show up.

It was boring until Reborn and Basil walked in with an unconscious Tsuna. I watched all the Flames gather around the small boy. I sighed. Watching them made regret burn in my chest. They all cared so deeply about each other. I wondered if they cared about me that much.

I was surprised that no one had said anything yet. Tsuna's gaze fixated on me and his voice meekly called out, "Najika-chan?" All of his friend's followed his look and I sighed. Maybe I cared too much about what others thought. My selfish desires drove us to this. "Are you okay?"

_What? I turn my back on him, and he only asks if I'm okay? What kind of enemy… No. No, Tsuna-kun isn't the enemy. Just… a rival._

I nodded slowly. "Yes… yes, I'm fine, thanks," I replied emotionlessly, not looking at them. Bel chuckled darkly and casually pulled me close to him, his arm hooked around my waist. "Bel-kun, please, get off."

He shrugged. "Don't feel like it. It's gonna be boring until their Mist Guardian shows up. Naji-hime~ Come on, let's play~" he whined, lowering his lips towards my ear. I sighed and pushed him off, none too gently, either. He stumbled back a little, laughing "Don't be like that, Naji-hime!"

Rolling my eyes, I grumbled, "Would you stop calling me "princess," already, Bel?" I asked dryly, crossing my arms and glaring at the prince beside me. "I'm not a princess, Bel. So, no, I am _not_ your princess, okay?"

"So you do hate me~" he laughed. I sighed again, moving from his side to the other side of Xanxus's seat, next to the Gola Mosca. "Naji-hime! Stop teasing me!" he pouted, sounding a lot like a child deprived of his sweets. Like Lambo… God, damn, Najika! Stop thinking about them! It'll only be more painful having to fight one of them.

Smiling sweetly at Bel, I calmly quipped, "Bel-kun, do us all a huge favor and go fall off a cliff." He only laughed again. I guess that he had a reputation to keep up. He wasn't as understanding to others. "Now, where is that other Mist Guardian?"

The Varia Storm asked, "Why? Do you have a date with him, Naji-hime?"

"Maybe, seeing as you got rejected," I shot back, half-playful, half-glaring. He really was annoying. "Whatever. Sorry that I don't know who he is," I grumbled, looking at Tsuna and the others.

Reborn's voice loudly announced, "The Guardian of Mist is here." I sighed.

_It's about damn time, too. For God's sake, we've been waiting what, twenty minutes? _

As if in response to Reborn, Ken and Chikusa stalked in, clearly unhappy with how they had to be here. Ken was probably glaring at the Vongola Guardians, while Chikusa just ignored him.

Smirking, I called, "Hey, Dobutsu-chan, Megane-chan! Is Sakkaku-kun with you?" Both Ken and Chikusa looked over to me. Ken gave me a thumbs up while Chikusa adjusted his glasses again.

Ken replied, "Unfortunately for you, your boyfriend isn't with us, Murusaki-chan! And quit it with the stupid nicknames!"

"You and I both know that Sakkaku-kun isn't my boyfriend, Dobutsu-chan, so I'm not going to stop with the 'stupid nicknames' until you stop assuming I'm dating either Megane-chan or Sakkaku-kun!" I shouted back, my tone still teasing.

Chikusa scoffed. "He still calls you Murusaki-chan… Typical Ken."

Flipping Chikusa off, his companion replied, "Shaddup, Kaki-pi." I giggled a little at my senpais' teasing. They were both only a few months older than me, but still affectionately referred to me as their "kohai," so I just started calling them my "senpais."

From the day we met, I we were always going to be in that sort of relationship. Me as the kohai and little sister and Ken, Chikusa, and Mukuro as my senpais. It would just be that. They were always nice to me.

_For the fifteen-freaking-hundredth time, I'd run into someone, or something. Knowing me and my klutziness, it was probably a pole for only the twentieth time today._

_I sighed and picked myself up, cursing whatever it was that I'd run into. Damn poles. They always found a way to annoy me. I pursed my lips as I brushed myself off and began to feel around for my bag._

_A silky voice asked gently, "Excuse me, is this your bag?" I looked to the source of the voice. "Oh… oh, you're blind! I'm so sorry. Here, let me help you." This person was a lot nicer than the rest of the school. "Are you alright, Miss?"_

_I nodded. "Thank you, and yes, I'm fine." I bowed gratefully to the person. "Sorry, but I don't recognize your voice. You're new here, aren't you?"_

_The person chuckled. "Yes, I am. My name is Mukuro Roduko, and these are my friends Ken Joshima and Chikusa Kakimoto." I bowed to them, too, and the person on my left laughed a bit, while the person on my right didn't say anything, but I heard them adjust their glasses. "You can just call us by our first names. It's not like we're going to care."_

_Smiling at them, I introduced myself. "I'm Najika Kamiya. Don't bother with formalities and call me whatever you want," I said cheerfully. "Najika is fine, but I'm okay with nicknames, too."_

_The person who had laughed, who I assumed was Ken, immediately replied, "If I can call you whatever I want, then… I'm gonna call you Murusaki-chan! So say hello to your new senpai!" He was loud… but he was funny, too. I laughed a little, as did Mukuro. Even Chikusa seemed amused by Ken's antics. "What? I'm not joking!" he whined. That only made me laugh even more. These three were going to be interesting._

_Chikusa asked, "Murusaki-chan? Why purple?"_

_Huffing, Ken retorted, "Her eyes are purple, Kaki-pi! You're a total moron!" The two went back and forth like that for a few minutes, much to my amusement. It ended with Ken yelling, "Screw off, Kaki-pi!" and turning away._

_Mukuro laughed nervously, seeming somewhat embarrassed. "Sorry about them," he apologized sheepishly. "They can get a little out of hand sometimes, but they're good people, I promise."_

_Another laugh came from my lips. "Not a problem… Mukuro-senpai." I turned to the two still arguing, and called, "Ken-senpai! Chikusa-senpai! Since you're all new in this town, why don't I take you all to lunch?"_

_From there on, the friendship only grew stronger._

_After learning that they all had some sort of weapon-slash-power, I thought they were only joking. That was, until Mukuro demonstrated his power by placing illusions in my eyes so I would see what he wanted me to see. He showed me what he and Ken and Chikusa looked like._

_I think that he thought that I'd leave them when I found out. But I took them all by surprise by declaring, "Okay, then! Since it's almost summer now, I'm as old as Ken and Chikusa! Which means, Ken, I'm gonna call you Dobutsu-chan!" Chikusa snickered. "Chikusa, you're Megane-chan!" It was Ken's turn to laugh. "And Mukuro, can I call you Sakkaku-kun?"_

_His smile was evident in his voice when he replied, "Of course you can, Kanari-chan." Kanari? He thought I was pretty? He must've been able to read my thoughts, because his reply was, "Of course you're pretty, Kanari-chan. After all, if you weren't, I wouldn't be calling you Kanari-chan."_

_I was sure that my face couldn't be redder and my smile couldn't be wider. "Thanks… Sakkaku-kun."_

If Mukuro was coming, I wondered if he remembered our nicknames. I watched happily as Ken and Chikusa began to argue once again. Then a girl appeared, her Flame as calm as Mukuro's aura had been. "My name is Chrome. Chrome Dokuro."

Chrome Dokuro? She was the girl I spoke to during Yamamoto's fight… which only meant… she wasn't Mukuro.

Gokudera was the first to suspect her. "Don't be fooled, Juudaime! Mukuro is possessing her!" I sighed. Mukuro wasn't possessing her. "He doesn't hesitate to do so to accomplish his goals! That's the kind of person he is!" Well, someone had some bad experiences with Mukuro.

Chrome seemed like a sweet person. She was almost too naïve to be anything like Mukuro. If it wasn't for the Flame and the feel that they both gave off, I wouldn't even think that she had anything to do with Mukuro.

I sighed as the whole group of Tsuna's Guardians began to argue. "Well that's kind of anti-climatic," Bel commented lightly. "Instead of some crazy old mystic, a woman appeared as their Guardian." Ken and Chikusa were quick to defend Chrome against Gokudera. Clearly she was of some importance to them. I started to think of a name for her, since she was part of the Kokuyo Gang now.

It was at the beginning of the battle that I actually decided on a name for her. I decided to call her Kori. "Kori-chan!" I exclaimed, a wide smile spread from one end of my face to the other. "Ne, Chrome-chan!" I called. She looked over to me. "Could I call you Kori-chan?"

Her confusion was evident, but Ken just sighed and told her, "Don't worry about it. Murusaki-chan gave all of us nicknames. Since you're," he hesitated, "one of us… I guess she's trying to include you in the tradition." I nodded.

"Then… it's fine," she replied, sounding pleased with her name. It was then that I realized that Colonello had joined us. Both Reborn and Colonello's pacifiers were glowing, with their Flame swarming around her pacifier.

Chrome proceeded to the battlefield, and stood in front of Mammon. The Mist battle should be interesting for people who could see. If she had a Flame like Mukuro, that probably means she could use illusions, too. I smirked. If only Mukuro had allowed me to keep that vision…

Chrome started off the match with an illusion. To everyone else, it seemed like they were falling. I felt the illusion, but it was no match for Mammon, who blocked it off immediately. It almost seemed like he was choking her.

Her Flame disappeared, then reappeared behind Mammon. Illusions… I wasn't even able to follow this battle. I'd never seen illusions in battle before. I noticed some of Mammon's Flame breaking off and forming something like a halo, and his dark blue Flame centering around a pacifier.

Mammon was an Arcobaleno, one named Viper.

So he was powerful. This was going to be tough for Chrome. Bel chuckled a bit. "This is going to be interesting."

Chrome took swipes at Mammon with everything she had, missing all of her hits. A successful attack pulled snakes into the battlefield, which began to strangle Mammon.

He slowly shook all of them off, but when Chrome charged, he blasted her back with his power. I could feel heat sprouting up all over the field. Illusions. More and more illusions, none of which I could follow as more and more cropped up. It was making my head spin.

Then everything grew cold. I shivered for a minute, noticing that Mammon had channeled some of his Flame into his pacifier, the core of his power. He was impressive.

Slowly, Chrome's Flame began to freeze over, stopping at her legs. She was separated from her weapon, which I noticed also had a Flame around it. How was that possible? Weapons were inanimate objects that weren't supposed to have Flames. Realizing her staff was missing, she quickly scrambled towards it, clutching it in her hands.

Mammon's voice was curious as he pointed out, "That weapon seems to be very important to you." Soon enough, under Mammon's power, the staff and its Flame shattered. Chrome fell back, panting heavily. Her Flame began to retreat, trying to support her. She was dying.

That staff… Chrome's Flame… Everything was falling into place. Mukuro must've saved her using his illusions, and without that staff, she would be on the verge of death. Everyone cried out in shock, and Ken and Chikusa seemed to stop moving for a moment. Illusions were the only reason that Chrome had survived.

For a minute, I saw a brief flash.

_Kanari-chan. I'm coming to help._

Sakkaku-kun? Mukuro? Is that you?

_Yes, it is. I hope you and Nagi are getting along. She is the only way out of here. I'll see you in a few minutes~_

Tsuna soon dropped to his knees and cried, "He's coming… Mukuro's coming!" I found that all of the power from the mist that Chrome used her power to create was surrounding her and a familiar Flame exploded from her. That was no longer Chrome Dokuro.

That was Mukuro Roduko. I smirked a tiny bit. Mammon had no idea what he was getting into. Mammon's Flame went flying back as he cried out in pain. Mukuro was back.

"You seem lively as ever, little Mafiosi," he greeted the Vongola, a smirk dripping into his voice. "It's been a while. I've come back from the edge of transmigration." Ah, typical Mukuro. He was such a drama queen sometimes. He called, "Kanari-chan! It's good to see you, too. But why are you on the wrong side of the field?"

I shrugged nonchalantly, grinning mischievously. "You know what they say, 'the grass is always greener on the other side,' right, Sakkaku-kun?"

I got a laugh in reply as Mammon flew back up and started to use his illusions. It appeared that Mukuro was frozen… Did I ever mention that he was a drama queen? It was all just for show, when he seems to be defeated. He was going to do something crazy.

Soon enough, he was using flowers to pull at Mammon. Leaning against the wall, I watched lazily, not bothering to worry for Mukuro. As much as I hoped Mammon would win this one, Mukuro was just too good for him. Mammon was beginning to lose his cool against Mukuro.

The Arcobaleno was using all of his power. I sighed. Everyone else was getting sick from all the illusions. I lived around Mukuro for around a year and a half. I was at least a bit used to it. Sure, my head hurt a little, but I was okay to keep going. Even Tsuna was being affected.

But what Mammon said really bothered me. Mukuro tried to escape from _prison_? And an impregnable _Vendicare prison_ at that? He always was a bit of an idiot, but at least he still had his power. I was more worried about what was going to happen to him now that he was back in prison. Maybe someday, I'd bust him out.

It was then I realized that Mammon's Flame had swallowed Mukuro's whole. But he was okay. His Flame hadn't gone out. It was more like he was fighting against it. "Fall, then wander."

Mammon was defeated. Mukuro had won, taking both of the halves of the Mist Ring. But he wasn't finished. Mukuro was still taunting Mammon, even after he had won. His illusion forced Mammon down, falling… then nothing. Mammon's Flame was just a tiny little spark. He was alive, but in pieces.

_"You lost because of one reason, and one reason only. Because I was your opponent."_

Bel gaped at the field. Mukuro had the full Mist Ring in his possession, and Mammon had escaped. Yet I was surprised at how Mukuro knew what Xanxus had planned. He knew that Xanxus was only playing with Tsuna. With one last laugh, Mukuro turned to Tsuna and gave him the Ring, warning him not to be too friendly with him.

I knew he was about to leave. "Mukuro." He turned to face me. "Will I ever see you again?" He laughed and his Flame faded, turning back into Chrome. Mukuro had spent too much energy on this battle.

_I'll see you again in due time, Kanari-chan._

Ken and Chikusa walked away from Chrome. They said that she wasn't Mukuro, and they were right. But it was a good thing that she wasn't. No one can be Mukuro Roduko but the man himself. He was an enigma, unique to his own person. No one could copy him.

Now that the conflict was almost over, there were only two matches left; Wave and Ring. It was either Gola Mosca or me that was up next. I smirked. "Tomorrow night's match will be Wave. Since only one side has a Wave Guardian, the other must decide on one, or the match will be lost."

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

It looks like Najika was up.

But the Vongola didn't have a Wave Guardian. Gokudera sighed. He would've been willing to fight, but he was already the Storm Guardian. They could ask Dino… no, that wouldn't work… or maybe Ken or Chikusa? Tch, as if Gokudera would ever ask them.

Again; they were screwed. Royally screwed. He sighed.

"Hey, Vongola." It was Najika, proud and tall, her hand on her hip and a glare on her face. "You'd better give me a good fight, or I'm coming after all of you. In fact, since both Mosca and I are bound to win, it looks like all your effort was for naught!" A cold smirk took over her face. "Good luck. You'll need it."

Bel laughed happily. "I think you've made her angry~" Poking her cheek, he grinned widely. "Isn't she adorable? And now she's all mine!" he crooned, hugging her from the back.

She swatted his hand away and pushed him back. "Sorry, Bel-kun. I'll give you a kiss if you ever shut up, okay?" Bel only laughed. "Seriously, now please, shut up."

Gokudera's fists shook. "We're going to win!" he yelled, finally snapping. "Even if it means fighting one of our friends, I guess that's what we've got to do!" Juudaime looked at him like he was crazy. Maybe he was. That's what betrayal does to people.

Najika sneered. "You don't even have a Wave Guardian! You had better find one, and fast!" With Bel's arm still around her shoulder, the Varia proceeded to leave the area, heading back to who-knows-where.

"Gokudera-kun, is everything alright?" Juudaime asked as the entire group walked towards the hospital, Chrome on the baseball idiot's back. "You've been acting weird since this morning." Gokudera shook his head, trying to tell Juudaime that he was fine. He was perfectly alright.

Like hell he was.

All they had to do was find a Wave Guardian in a day! That was easy enough, right?

As if anything was ever that easy.

* * *

><p><strong>Atogaki-<strong>

**Fail. Fail, fail, fail.**

**But I've been leading up to this, sort of, and even though Mukuro knows her, don't assume that she's an Experiment, like him. The history between the two is legitimate. They did meet in Kokuyo, and they did become her senpais. Seriously though, I chose "What Hurts the Most" because it's just after her betrayal, and it's kind of just now sinking in. By the way, this was the same day as the last chapter. ****I also think that I made it clear in this chapter that Gokudera is fighting himself, and blaming himself for the way Najika left them. I chose the title "Things Are No Different" because it kind of is used to remind Najika that her relationships with a few people will be changed, but it also stays the same.**

**I've recently been watching Rebocon 4, and watching Gokudera and Basil sing "No Control" by Shoichi Irie, and for I couldn't help but squeal like a fangirl. Basil's seiyuu is just too cute for her own good, and Gokudera's seiyuu is a really great Gokudera cosplayer. Seriously though, I'm thinking of cosplaying as Basil myself, since I recently got my hair cut to around his length. I couldn't help it! Plus, it was getting too long.**


	8. The Wave's Wrath

**Episode 8: The Wave's Wrath  
><strong>**"Marks of battle, they still feel raw. A million pieces of me on the floor. I'm damaged goods for all to see. Now who would ever want to be with me?"  
><strong>**-"Exit Wounds" by The Script**

* * *

><p>I was sitting with Bel in the living room of the Varia mansion, bored.<p>

Sure, I had my laptop and I was watching _Bleach_, but I'd seen the whole series already. I sighed and closed my laptop, putting it on the table. "Bel?" I asked softly. He looked up from where he was polishing his knives. "Do I have a right to feel guilty for betraying my friends?"

He put his knives away and replied, "Well, I guess you do." Clearly he was back to his understanding personality. I swear, Bel is freaking bipolar. "You care about them a lot, but you were scared of them hurting you, so you just hurt them back. I wouldn't feel bad, but you know me."

Giggling a little, I nodded. "Yeah, I do."

Bel laughed a bit, leaning against the back of the sofa. "I don't know how to feel guilt or remorse," he confessed. "Only anger and hate. For a sixteen year old, I guess that could be a little problematic, but honestly, it's not a bad thing."

I was confused. "How is being an emotionless vegetable a good thing?" Seriously, without emotions, there'd be no friendship, no trust, and no love. But there'd also be no hatred, no rivalry, and no betrayal. Emotions are what drove me to betray my friends. "I guess it could get rid of some bad things, but to get rid of your emotions? I could never do that."

Chuckling a bit, he waved my comment off. "No, no, that's not it. You can still feel, you just don't show it. Like if I said something to hurt you right now, and you didn't react, it probably hurt you, but I wouldn't know if I did or didn't." I did see his point. So it was just an act, being emotionless. "As you've probably figured out, my being a seriously sadistic person isn't a total act. It's more just a hidden side of me. I can be sensitive if I want to."

I stood up and sat on the ottoman his feet were resting on. With no hesitation, I laid down, resting my head on his chest. His arms wrapped around my shoulder, one hand stroking my hair gently.

Curling into his body, I closed my eyes. "You're a really good friend, Bel-kun, and I badly misjudged you when we first met. I'm really sorry," I muttered, gripping his jacket as I curled into him.

"Thanks, Princess."

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

So as you could guess, the Vongola didn't succeed in finding a Wave Guardian.

Well… it's not really like anyone was looking in the first place. Juudaime was still training, and everyone else was getting their wounds checked out again by Romario. Stupid bodyguard. He was too cautious. Not like Najika, who would just treat and bandage the worst ones while fussing over them, but then tell him to deal with the scratches.

Gokudera thought that seeing her fighting against them would be the hardest part of this next battle. It may be best to just forfeit.

No! No, they couldn't afford to lose this match.

It was too important.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

The night came quickly.

Once again, we, the Varia, were all there at the school early. Xanxus sat in a throne and the rest of us were on the roof.

Once again, the rest of the Vongola Guardians showed up. Ryohei was the first, with Colonello, next was Basil and Tsuna, and third was Yamamoto and… and Gokudera. Chrome didn't show up, as she was probably still asleep. However, Ken and Chikusa both showed up and yelled for me to do my best.

The Cerevello announced, "The battlefield today will be the pool. This is a warning to the Wave Guardians; the pool is filled with electric eels, and there are only three platforms on each side." Simple enough. "However, one-by-one, the platforms will tip over after twenty minutes. In this match, if you fall in, you lose, no matter who has the Ring."

Bel chuckled and once again draped his arms around my shoulders. "This will be fun! I can't wait to see you fight, Naji-chan~" He giggled childishly as I simply rolled my eyes and turned away from him. He knew I was using what he told me about; being emotionless so you don't have emotions for people to hurt. "You hurt my feelings, Naji-hime!" Bel whined.

I sighed. "You don't have feelings to hurt, Bel." He just laughed, agreeing with me completely. "Xanxus-san." He looked over to me lazily. "Do you have the Ring?" He rolled his eyes and pulled the Ring out of his breast pocket of his shirt. He tossed it to me, while I caught it, slinging the chain over my neck.

"Now get going," he snapped, glaring at me. I smirked and mock saluted, hopping down from the roof and landing in front of the gate. The Cerevello opened it for me and I walked in, taking my place at one end of the pool.

I heard Bel's voice call, "Vongola, who's your Wave Guardian? Naji-hime needs to fight someone~" He was clearly having fun mocking Tsuna and his Guardians. His laugh was obviously teasing as he crooned, "Looks like we win!"

**X Tsunayoshi Sawada X**

Najika was fighting for the Varia. There was no doubt, since she was even wearing the jacket.

Meanwhile, Tsuna didn't have a Wave Guardian to send out. His fists clenched. Did he even want to send someone to fight Najika? She was his friend, no matter who's side she chose. But she was acting distant and closed today.

He looked at all of his friends. Ken and Chikusa had come, but Tsuna knew that they wouldn't fight against her. Gokudera, Onii-san, and Yamamoto already had fought, and Reborn and Colonello would probably either not fight or kill her pretty much immediately.

One of the Cerevello announced, "If Tsunayoshi Sawada does not send in a Guardian in five minutes, the match will officially go to Najika Kamiya, and the Varia will win." He saw Gokudera's eyes narrow. Najika wasn't even looking at them. Her arms were crossed and she was staring at the other side of the pool.

She noticed Tsuna and Gokudera's gazes on her and snapped, "I don't have all day, Vongola. Hurry up and send one of your friends."

Tsuna paused. He didn't know who to send in. In fact, he was about to go into the arena himself, and forfeit the match to Najika. He didn't want to hurt her. As he took a deep breath, he prepared to walk through the gates to the pool.

Another voice called, "Wait! Please, wait!" Tsuna stopped all movement. Everyone looked at the arriving figure. The Wave Ring was on a chain, dangling around his neck. He stopped short, right in front of Tsuna, bending over and panting.

"I am very sorry that I am late, but I had to find Najika-chan's Ring." It was Basil, his weapon in one hand and his other clenched into a fist around the Ring. "I will fight her."

Najika clearly didn't approve, as she scoffed. "Have you forgotten, Basil-kun? I beat you once, and it was a landslide victory to me. It shouldn't be to hard to beat you again." Basil didn't reply, only went through the open door of the fence.

**X Basil X**

The Cerevello began the match. "The Wave Battle, Basil versus Najika Kamiya. Battle, start!" Neither one of them made a move. They were both standing there, staring at their opponent and friend. Najika still looked bored, while Basil's face was glittering with determination.

"Najika-chan… none of us meant to doubt thou." She didn't move. "We art all very sorry about it, and Sawada-dono would like thou to come back to them." She uncrossed her arms and one of them moved one of her hands to the bottom of her black jean shorts, pushing the end of the jacket out of the way. Why wasn't she saying anything? "We're sorry… now please, come home."

For a moment, Najika didn't respond. Her head was down, her bangs covering her eyes. Then she slowly looked up. Everyone took two steps away from her. There was an anger in her eyes that no one knew she possessed.

"I was willing to forgive you idiots, but now… you send someone in to try and win me back? Pathetic," she spat, drawing her gun from its holster and letting it stay beside her. "You won't get anywhere like that. Go on, try and hurt me!"

Oh, now she was just taunting them.

Basil knew this and gritted his teeth before putting one foot on the platform nearest him. He saw that she was doing the same thing, only faster. She clearly wasn't afraid, and she clearly didn't want to talk. He stepped onto the platform, and noticed that Najika had stopped at the halfway mark. It was like she wanted him to charge at her.

He moved one foot to see if she'd do anything. But no, she simply stood there, her gun useless and limp at her sides. That's when he made up his mind; he would win and bring her back. Without warning, he leapt at her, his weapon raised. She smirked.

Smirked?

With her left hand, she grabbed his blade, the metal sinking into her palm, not even noticing the large gash it left on her hand. She pulled it down, yanking it out of a surprised Basil's grasp, tossing it off to the side. It landed a few platforms away with a clatter.

Now, Basil was left weaponless, while she still had her gun. Before she could hit him, he jumped back onto another platform, close enough for him to get his blade. The blood on her hand was dripping down onto the platform, and fast, forming a puddle underneath her feet. But she didn't falter. She only advanced more, the blood dripping down her fingers.

He almost regretted fighting her now. But all those thoughts left him when he saw her lift her gun. She shot a single bullet near his hand, forcing him to retract it. She didn't even look entertained. She simply watched him try and figure out his next move. After a minute of waiting, her face turned to annoyance and she gracefully jumped over to the platform.

She stood over Basil, who was still trying to reach his blade. "I would say that I'm sorry about this, but that'd be a lie," she said sweetly. Reaching down, she snapped the Wave Ring from around his neck and was about to put it with hers when Basil finally reached his weapon.

With a startled cry, she jumped back when he swiped at her. "I cannot allow thee to win, Najika-chan." He was deadly calm now. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out two of his Dying Will Pills, ingesting them. His brain turned to calm, and he knew what to do. He jumped backwards, landing on each platform.

He threw the blade at her, as it worked like a boomerang. Najika didn't know that, and once she jumped, she didn't even notice it coming back around until she had to duck to avoid it. She glared at Basil and raised her gun. "I'd hoped I wouldn't have to do this…"

A turquoise blue flame came shooting out of the gun, right at Basil. He hopped away, trying to avoid it, but it seemed like they were coming from everywhere. He was panting from dodging in less than three minutes. He looked at her, but she was nowhere to be found. In fact, four of the six platforms had turned over, including the one she had been standing on. "Najika-chan…?"

"Looking for someone?" Basil froze. How did she get behind him? She was smiling serenely, but there was a kind of malice behind it that only a pissed off girl could have. "Sayonara, Basil-kun." With that, she kicked him in the gut. He went flying back into the pool.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

Damn me and my stupidity!

I forgot about the electric eels! I was on the concrete of the sidewalk near the pool while Basil would probably drown. Sighing, almost resignedly – even though I was freaking out inside – I reached my hand down and grabbed Basil's who was struggling to swim up.

I hauled him up onto the concrete and watched as he coughed. "Why?" I sent him a confused and annoyed look, crossing my arms and standing up. "Why did thou save me? I thought that thee hated all of us," he stated, his voice soft and resigned. It nearly broke my heart.

I scoffed. "Whatever. No one deserves to die over a shit-piece like this," I snapped, holding up the Ring. "I just want this damn thing to be over. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a boss to report to." I stalked off, feeling Basil's eyes on my back.

Climbing back up to the roof, I threw the Ring at Xanxus, who caught it with ease. Bel immediately draped himself over me. "I knew you'd win, Naji-hime! I saw you training last night~"

"Whatever." I clutched my blood-drenched left hand. That really hurt… "Do you have any bandages?"

There was a short pause and then ripping of cloth. I felt something being tied over my hand. Ouch. Whoever was wrapping my hand wasn't being too gentle about it, but I guess that was just the way they were.

"Let's go home."

X Hayato Gokudera X

As Juudaime helped Basil out, he asked, "What happened to Najika-chan? Is she mad at us?"

Basil shook his head. "Her actions are clear; she cares about all of us, but we doubted her strength. It's not something that we should've done, considering that she is a wave."

"Stop comparing her to a wave!" Gokudera snapped. "She joined the Varia. She left us behind. That's all there is to it. Only the weak betray their teams," he spat, turning and getting ready to leave. Weak. He just called her weak. That probably would've made her cry if she was there.

Juudaime sadly asked, "Is that what you really think, Gokudera-kun?" Said Guardian froze before shooting Juudaime a look and stalking off.

No. Of course he'd never think she was weak. Especially after she emitted that tiny burst of power. He was sure that everyone had seen it. It was only for a moment, but her Flame was visible.

It was a bright blue, almost periwinkle in color. The color itself, though, wasn't what he was concerned about. He was concerned about the intensity of it. Just looking at it strangled him.

It seemed… like it would kill him. And it seemed like she would let it.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**I wanted it to be short. Yes, this chapter was intentionally short. Because the battle was one-sided. Basil doesn't want to hurt her, because it's clear that he cares about her. I hope that this was a surprise for you guys to find out that Najika would be fighting Basil. At this point, when I was writing this, my OTP for this story was actually not Gokudera/Najika, but Basil/Najika. To tell you the truth, this was going to be a Basil/OC story, because there are almost none out there, which makes me sad. He's cute, and so much fun.**

**The title, "The Wave's Wrath" is pretty much obvious. If Najika's denial stage was chapter six, this is her anger point. I chose "Exit Wounds" for more obvious reasons. xD I'm so obvious.**

**I finished watching Rebocon 4, and I was almost in shock when I found out that Dino's seiyuu was the same as Juudai Yuuki's (from YuGiOh! GX). I was like... "So that's why Dino's voice is so sexi." Plus, he's an amazing singer. If you get a chance, check it out, because he is amazing.**


	9. Sparkling Cloud

**Episode 9: Sparkling Cloud  
><strong>**"But that's just how the story unfolds; you get another hand soon after you fold. And when your plans unravel in the sand, what would you wish for if you had one chance?"  
><strong>**-"Airplanes" by BoB and Haley Williams**

* * *

><p>I sighed and fiddled with the buttons on my shirt, buttoning it up slowly, watching the clock tick.<p>

Tonight was the final battle. It was time for Gola Mosca to fight Hibari. For some reason, I doubted Gola Mosca. Just because he had firepower doesn't mean that he had the strength that Hibari had. I wondered if anyone else was worried.

I figured that Hibari and Dino were probably training really hard that day. If Tsuna's Family lost, it was all over. The purple-Flamed boy had been strong when I saw him. But Xanxus was confident. It made me wonder what kind of crazy plan that the Varia had. It put someone at risk. I knew that much. Maybe Bel would tell me.

After pulling out the signature black Varia jacket, I walked down the hall to Bel's room, knocking on the door. He pulled it open, revealing him, just him at home.

He was alone. Cue his understanding side. "Naji-hime," he said as his eyes rested on my small form. "I guess you finally want to know about what Boss has planned, right?" I nodded slowly. Maybe it was none of my business. "I knew you'd want to know soon, but Boss said that you'd find out. I can't tell you."

_So… he was ordered not to tell me…_

I nodded again, more curt than the previous time. "I understand, Bel. Thanks. I'll see you tonight." I turned away from the Prince and hurried down the stairs to go outside into the gardens. That was stupid of me to even ask.

If Bel couldn't tell me, I was scared to find out what would happen to Tsuna today. As if his life couldn't get any stranger. Now he's got a Varia plot to worry about. It was going to be a long day.

The current score was Varia – 4, and Vongola – 3. If Mosca won today, Xanxus would become the boss. But I had to wonder what would happen if Hibari won. Would there be a tiebreaker match between Tsuna and Xanxus?

Geez, if that happened, Tsuna was bound to lose… I'd never actually seen him fight, but from his gym class performances, it was evident that he really was Dame-Tsuna, especially when it came to physical activity.

I sighed sadly. I never wanted any of this.

For most of the day, I was outside. No one came looking for me. Probably all doing some stupid Varia business. They were always so busy… If not with business, they were busy trying to murder each other. Whenever they did have time to talk, something happened to make them busy.

Nightfall soon approached, and I trailed behind the rest of the Varia as they walked towards Namimori Middle. I looked around quickly. Everything seemed like it was yesterday. Nothing was out of place.

Except Tsuna. He wasn't there.

I looked around for the weak-Flamed boy, but he was nowhere to be found. Only Gokudera, Ryohei, and Yamamoto were there. I frowned, wanting to make sure that Tsuna was alright.

I swear, there was creepy music playing as Hibari strode in. If possible, his Flame had grown even more, showing that his true potential was limitless. Gola Mosca's Flame was strong, too, but its strength was no where close to Hibari's massive Flame. It was very much like comparing a kitten to a tiger. The tiger was Hibari, of course.

Then again, comparing Hibari to Xanxus was the same way.

The robot jumped down to the field, facing Hibari. I glanced around. No life on the field. There was almost nothing…

Scratch that. There were guns galore, barbed wire, and weight-sensitive traps. I narrowed my eyes. No matter how confident the rest of the Varia was, I wasn't so certain. There was no way that Gola Mosca wouldn't set off one of those traps. It was just a machine, anyways. What would Xanxus care if it ended up destroyed?

Gola Mosca had rockets on its back? That's how it managed? The match was so quick that I didn't even see what happened. All I know is that Hibari's Flame completely dominated Mosca without trying.

A loud explosion rang in my ears. I knew that Mosca wouldn't even be a match for Hibari. So why was I worried about the Vongola Cloud Guardian? He wasn't even tired, so why did I feel like something bad was about to happen?

It was then that I saw Xanxus move. _No!_

I wanted to stop him, but he'd probably kill me with one shot of his guns. Hibari would have more of a chance than I would. I sent Bel a look, but he shook his head. This was all part of their plan, wasn't it? How did I not see this coming? I gritted my teeth and glared out at the field.

Hibari, Tsuna, Yamamoto, Basil, Ryohei, Chrome, Mukuro, Ken, Chikusa, Lambo, Fuuta, Bianchi, I-Pin, Dino, and Gokudera. They were all doing their best. I had to try harder, too. Everything had come down to this last fight, and Hibari had won. How much more fighting would have to happen?

I could only watch as Hibari chased Xanxus around the field, both of them almost being shot by the guns. Those idiots! They kept setting of trap after trap, and neither one of them was willing to get off the field.

"If any of us losers make a move," Bel began, "it would be seen as a rebellion against the new 10th. Every one of us would be executed. But Boss is scheming something. Only Mammon and Squalo would know."

Gola Mosca was still moving. I saw its flame light up a little, then completely take it back over. "Hibari-san! The machine is still moving!" I blurted out, ducking my head as Xanxus glared at me.

A beam of light shot out from the Gola Mosca, making Hibari stop, freeze right in his tracks. I saw his figure fall to one knee, and let out a gasp.

Gunshots. I shrieked as the large bullets were shot at us. Bel pulled me out of the way just in time as they crashed. Mosca's rockets were activated again, and more rockets and beams were shot from the machine. Xanxus had lost control of it.

Everything was going crazy. The school was being demolished, little by little, and Xanxus seemed almost pleased. His plan was going perfectly. He was never going to give up power to Tsuna. He was always going to destroy them, no matter what. Not even Hibari saw this coming. No one was safe. If it wasn't Gola Mosca, it was the Gatling guns or the traps.

Chrome, Ken, and Chikusa were about to be fried when a huge burst of an orange Flame blocked Mosca's attacks. Tsuna… He was here? And since when did his Flame have that much power? All of it was centered around his hands.

Those gloves… The ones he had on the first time I got into this Mafia mess… Those were what he had on right now. That was where the Flames were coming from, so fierce they were almost alive.

He was fast and strong now. Basil's Flame and Reborn's Flame were both there, too. He was everything a Boss should be. One hit from Tsuna was all it took to bring the Mosca down, crashing to the ground once more. Mosca was nothing more than a heap of scrap metal, and Tsuna was the welder.

"Hey, you piece of junk." Gola Mosca moved to get up as Tsuna continued, his voice dark and threatening, "I'm your opponent."

_Holy shit._

That was Tsuna? He didn't sound anything like him! It was that Dying Will thing again, wasn't it?

More gunshots and missiles. The Gola Mosca had its sights trained on killing Tsuna. He wasn't dead, though. In fact, he managed even more hits to that damn heap of scrap metal, bringing it down for good.

Xanxus didn't seem too unhappy about it, though.

All of us soon found out why. Inside the Gola Mosca was a human. That human was the 9th. And Tsuna was being charged with _killing_ the old man. Tsuna and killing just didn't belong in the same sentence. Besides, it was Xanxus that put the 9th in the stupid robot in the first place. If anyone was to blame, it sure wasn't Tsuna.

But I couldn't move. When Tsuna was sharing the 9th's last words, no one moved. Not even Xanxus. How dare that bastard, Xanxus, accuse Tsuna of murder! I couldn't even think with all of the jumbled thoughts as I learned what Xanxus, with the help of Lussuria, Squalo, and Levi, had done eight years before.

Eight years ago, he organized a coup d'état, but failed, and, as a result, was put into a slumber by the 9th. I had no words to describe what I'd felt. A tiny Flame burned into Tsuna's forehead from the 9th's pointer finger.

Then, that Flame grew smaller and smaller until it was nonexistent.

All of that was part of Xanxus's plan to take over the Vongola, too.

Tsuna had won the conflict without cheating, but he wanted no enemies within the Family. I felt myself shaking. How could I ever have been stupid enough to follow this man? Even though the leadership meant nothing to Tsuna, he would fight because he wouldn't let a murderer take control.

Everyone began to pull out their weapons. Even Bel's knives came out, but I refused to draw my gun from its holster. I couldn't switch sides now. That would label me as a traitor and a double-crosser. But even so, I would not fight.

Then, the final battle was announced.

The next night night, everyone would come back to Namimori Middle to fight in the Sky Match. Everyone… Bel, Levi, Mammon, Lussuria, Xanxus, and I would be fighting Chrome, Tsuna, Hibari, Yamamoto, Basil, Ryohei, Lambo, and Gokudera. That didn't make any sense. They would bring back Lambo and Lussuria, both of whom were badly injured?

I couldn't see what was happening. I couldn't see if Tsuna was crying or not. I could see the Flames of all of the people there, though. Everyone with Tsuna was burning with hatred against Xanxus and the Cerevello. Everything was falling apart.

Tsuna… he'd die.

I watched as Xanxus's Flame grew and engulfed all of us. I closed my eyes and felt myself being slung onto someone's back. Bel chuckled. "Time for one last round~" he sang happily. We were moving away from the field.

Sighing, I let myself relax against Bel's form. "I feel so stupid. I don't know what I was thinking. Tsuna was crying, I'm sure of it. How could I let myself do something like this?" I wrapped my arms around Bel's neck sulkily. "I'm sorry. I guess I shouldn't tell you this, since you support Xanxus."

He laughed dryly. "Well, you're going to have to just deal with us for a little while longer. Then you'll be free, I swear." I pulled my arms closer to me, hugging Bel tighter. "You're so adorable, you know that?"

"Are you being sadistic or nice?" I asked sarcastically. Of course he was being nice; I just wasn't in the mood for it, you know?

Bel seemed to pick up on that and chuckled. "You decide that, Naji-hime," he replied softly. "I'll be sadistic if you really want me to."

I scoffed again. "Yeah, no thanks. I think I'm good."

He chuckled a bit, then quieted. The next thing out of his mouth was almost silent, "You know that when this Conflict is over, you don't have to stay with us, or even anywhere near us, right?" His voice wavered a little. He seemed almost sad at the prospect.

Nuzzling his neck a little, I whispered, "I know, Bel."

When we got to the mansion, I was about to go upstairs and sleep, to get ready for the Sky Match, but Xanxus caught the back of my shirt. He pretty much dragged me up the stairs to his huge-ass room.

Oh shit.

Squeaking, I asked, "Is this about me warning Hibari-san about Gola Mosca?" He didn't answer, only glared down at me. "I guess so…" His chilling glare was answer enough. The Varia boss flung open his door and pushed me inside. I stumbled, but stayed on my feet. I turned around to face him, only to be met with him slapping me right across my face.

It didn't hurt as much as I thought. I guess I was just numb to pain because of what just happened. "You're too troublesome. Why would you warn one of _them_?" he demanded with disgust.

I looked down and fidgeted. "I'm sorry, Xanxus-san. I just… I guess I'm still too soft." He nodded in agreement. "I apologize… I'll do better." I must've looked about to cry, because Xanxus turned away.

He snapped, "Don't cry. Assassins don't cry when there's someone else in front of us." I smiled a little bit. "Go." He opened the door and pretty much pushed me out. "Get some rest, girl. You're going to need it for tomorrow." He was right. I smiled a little more. Maybe he did care.

Probably not, but _maybe_.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**This was the point in time where I was getting a little more bold with the language. So that's why Najika tends to curse more. I chose the song "Airplanes" for obvious reasons, once again. And "Sparking Cloud..." I chose Sparkling, 'cause Hibari blows a ton of stuff up in this chapter. I mean, not only does _he_ blow stuff up, there's rockets, and gatling guns, so I just was like... Blowing up = fireworks. Cloud is also obvious. He _is_ the Cloud Guardian. Imma fail. Lemme alone, I know I fail. orz**

**Also, the whole Xanxus thing. Just... let's leave that up to you. You decide whether he's just a douche or whether he actually likes her. I can't even decide and I wrote the damn chapter, ahaha... ^^;;;; I'm leaning towards him having some sort of fondness for her.**

**Or maybe that's just me. ._.**

**Eh. Who cares? (me.)**

**And at this point, I freaking ship B36. (Bel/Najika.) 36 is her official number. Kind of. You know, like official for this story... but not for the actual thing. Get it?**

**No? Mmkay.**

**5936 vs 8436 vs B36 vs 6936 vs whateverthefuckhisnumberis36**

**LOLKBAI**


	10. Choices for Feelings

**Episode 10: Choices for Feelings  
><strong>**"Hold on tight to the things you're given; the camera caught it all, aren't we all forgiven now? 'Cause you say stop and we say go… The world outside is calling on the telephone. They need answers, so we'll let them know; tonight, we let our words speak for themselves."  
><strong>**-"The World Calling" by There for Tomorrow**

* * *

><p><strong>X Belphegor X<strong>

The smell of food woke Bel up early the next morning. Curious, he pulled on his usual Varia uniform and slowly walked downstairs to the dining room.

The brunette Wave Guardian turned around and smiled brightly, her blind eyes glittering brightly. "Oh, good morning, Bel! You're up early. I was going to wake you all up in ten minutes. Go ahead, take a seat." He did so and stared in awe at the amount of food that she had made.

He looked at the table. Everything was so neat and organized, unlike all of the other rooms in the mansion. He raised an eyebrow. "You made all of this _and_ organized the kitchen? You're a saint, Naji-hime," he said, praising the girl who'd worked hard just for them.

She smiled a bit, but soon sobered, sitting down at the table with a coffee in hand. "Bel." Said Prince looked up from where he was piling sushi and bacon onto his plate. "I've made my decision about what you said last night."

His own face fell a little, but he didn't let her see, merely nodding in understanding and continuing his actions. "I know, and I think I know what your decision is," he replied quietly. "Just don't tell the others yet, okay?" She nodded.

Smiling once again, she put plates down for the rest of the Varia. "Yeah. Let's not think about it now. Let's get ready to face today." She was optimistic as ever. Bel was glad to see she hadn't changed in that sense.

One by one, the rest of the Varia came downstairs, having the same reaction as Bel to the food she prepared. Even Mammon and Lussuria were pulled in from their injured states, ecstatic at their favorite foods.

However, Boss didn't get up until four hours after everyone else had finished eating. Bel and Levi were relaxing in the living room, Lussuria and Mammon had been put back in the hospital and the cage, respectively, and Najika was still in the kitchen, cleaning up after the boys.

She had said that she was going to wait for Xanxus to wake up, and that she had something to give him.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

When Xanxus came down, he immediately sat down in his normal chair. I called the Boss into the dining room. "Since it's the last day of the Ring Conflict, I made something special for everyone. I remember that you enjoy steak a lot. So… here." I put a plate of meat in front of him, and he just looked up with a raised eyebrow.

He scoffed a little, but began to eat. "Not bad, brat."

Gosh, wasn't he mean?

I smiled though, and turned to go sit with Bel and Levi, the latter not being very pleased that I was going to sit with them. I recalled every part of the Ring Conflict.

This past week was the first time I actually began to feel like I was worthy of something bigger. Maybe I was worth something after all.

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

It was night again, and for the eighth consecutive day, Juudaime and his Guardians were all at Namimori Middle, facing the Varia.

Everyone was there that time, even Hibari and that female Mukuro. Gokudera knew they couldn't lose, no matter what. But seeing Najika standing there, fidgeting, let the Storm Guardian know that she didn't want to be there, standing against them.

Basil was there, too, glancing from Najika to the Ripper Prince, sadness glittering in his eyes. Xanxus seemed to notice this and sent a look at the brunette, causing her to stand up straight and take a deep breath. He smirked and looked back at Gokudera and the group.

It was as if he was almost proud of her.

What shocked everyone was that they had pulled in Lussuria and Lambo, who were gravely injured. Najika was looking from one to the other, almost sadly, her purple eyes giving away the emotions that her body didn't.

She sighed and locked eyes with Gokudera. He knew she couldn't see him, so he just stared right back into her purple eyes.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

I couldn't believe that Lussuria was willing to go through with this. I shook a little at Xanxus's side. Bel's hand grabbed mine, holding on tightly, as we all put the Rings we'd won into a box.

The Cerevello began to explain the rules; one way to win was to complete the Sky Ring. "The field is the whole school. In some places, we've set up cameras to view the whole field. And each of you will receive camera-equipped monitor wristbands." We all put them on, and I realized that Xanxus and Tsuna were showing on the screen. "Each Guardian will move to the field of your match as soon as you've equipped the wristbands." So I'd be going to the pool where I fought Basil.

Bel looked at me and quietly asked, "Are you going to be all right?" I watched sadly as all of Tsuna's Guardians wished their Boss good luck and left to go to their fields.

In response to Bel's question, I nodded and said, "Yes, of course." But truthfully, I didn't really feel all right.

Bel seemed to pick that up and he pushed me towards the pool. "You'll be fine." As I passed Xanxus, I felt him look down at me, but not say anything. Like he would in the first place. I looked back at the Varia's Flames as I followed Basil, taking my gun out just in case.

At the pool, I stood beneath a giant tower next to Basil, who I was afraid to talk to. He looked over at me and asked, "Art thou sure that thee want to go through with this?" I nodded shortly in reply.

It was then that I felt dizzy, like a sickness was spreading through my body. I coughed and fell, collapsing near the pole and dropping my gun. I couldn't move, and I felt as if I was burning.

I felt Basil land near me, and I felt his hand weakly reach for mine. Reaching out, despite the pain in my body, I grabbed Basil's hand and held on tight. "Don't give up yet, Basil-kun," I whispered weakly, squeezing his hand once more as my eyes began to feel heavier and heavier.

I just wanted to sleep… But if I slept, how did I know that I'd ever wake up? Would Xanxus help me out of this mess? I didn't know the answer for either one of them, but I doubted that either would end positive. My chest immediately flared up, feeling like someone had stabbed me there. I bit my lip, attempting to keep myself from crying.

_I'm scared. I want to go home… I should never have gotten involved! No one's going to come help me… Why should I stay awake?_

**_Don't give up! Someone will come and save you! Everyone loves you dearly, Najika-chan. Even Xanxus. Someone is going to help you._**

_I'm going to die. I'm going to die, and there is nothing that anyone can do to help me. I can't stay awake anymore._

**_Stay awake, Najika-chan! You have to make sure that your friends will be all right! All of the people you hold dear are all going through the same thing! Don't let those dirty Cerevello win!_**

_The people I love? Basil-kun… Chrome-chan… Bel-kun… Hibari-san… Gokudera-kun… Are they all suffering like this? I… I can't… I won't let them be hurt! I'll stay awake for them, even if it takes all of my energy from me!_

**_That's right! Don't give up. Never give up!_**

_Never give up. Right. I will always have my friends._

That's right. I couldn't give up, not when everyone was relying on me! I opened my eyes slowly only to see Basil breathing heavily, eyes closed in pain. He was really being affected by whatever the wristbands injected into us. I panted a little as my fingers curled around my gun.

One shot was all I had. Luck would decide if the Ring fell to Basil or me.

_Bang._

A cling on the pole and a familiar white glint landed near my hands. I reached to grab it, but I just couldn't reach. I was too… too tired…

**X Basil X**

She had made the Ring fall, but she couldn't grab it.

Basil reached out and took it, however tired he was. He reached over to his wristband and gave himself the antidote. He sighed in relief and stood, looking around. He was about to go off and help the other Guardians, but he remembered that it was Najika that got the Ring. She was unconscious. She clearly was vulnerable to poison.

Her breathing was heavy and she looked paler than before. Tears were forming at the corner of her eyes, and she was murmuring things to herself that didn't make any sense to Basil. In fact, he couldn't even hear most of them. One that he did hear was, "My friends need me… Basil-kun… take the Ring and help… Gokudera-kun…"

She was really weak. Basil still cared about her, even though she had joined the Varia. He knelt down next to her and put the Wave Ring in her wristband and waited. Najika didn't wake up. His mind immediately flew into a state of panic, attempting to shake Najika awake.

Was she dead?

Basil began to panic even more. He felt for her pulse on her wrist.

_Bum-bump. Bum-bump._

She was alive, but barely. Her heart was beginning to slow. Basil sighed in relief. He'd gotten the Ring just in time. However… the poison was supposed to take thirty minutes to kill. It'd only been ten in her case. Why was the poison hurting her so easily?

He slung her onto his back, wrapping her arms around his neck. He had to get her to safety. She needed someone's help. Basil glanced around to find Hibari and Bel fighting. He knew why Hibari had gotten the Ring without being badly affected by the poison.

Hibari was a cloud. The one thing he really hated was being restrained. Because of that, he managed to overpower the poison and take the antidote without any help from anyone. Bel had only gotten the Ring out of pure… "kindness" of Xanxus's "heart." Like he had either.

Basil knew how this entire battle would play out. Cloud had stirred up the Storm. Gokudera was bound to have the Storm Ring by now, thanks to Hibari. Storm and Thunder were like brothers, and they would always be there for each other, no matter what. Gokudera would save Lambo from Levi.

A small groan drew Basil's attention away from the battle to the girl on his back. He knelt down and laid her on the ground. "Najika-chan?" he asked hesitantly. Her eyes flickered open and he smiled down at her. "Oh, thank goodness."

She looked around. "Basil-kun? Did you save me?" He nodded in reply, his eyes threatening to spill tears of relief. "Thank you… But why?"

He smiled even wider as he looked up to see Gokudera helping Lambo. "Thou said something when thou were asleep. Thou were telling me to take the Ring and go help Gokudera-dono. Thou wanted me to leave thee there. I couldn't. Thou art a Guardian."

Turning her head, she her gaze fell on Hibari and Bel's fight. "Bel! Hibari-kun!" she cried, immediately trying to stand. "Why are they fighting?" she choked out as she fell back onto the ground, panting. "Bel and Hibari-kun are both injured! And Lambo and Lussuria were both injured badly… Why…"

Basil put a hand on her back and looked up. "I don't know, Najika-chan." Hibari had pulled chains out on Bel, knocking down all the knives. Bel looked around, then he saw Najika. Basil couldn't see his reaction, but he noticed one fist clenched and tightened. But once he saw that she was all right, he ran off in a different direction.

"Stop it."

**X Najika Kamiya X**

"Everyone…" _Chrome, Basil._ "Everyone is fighting." _Yamamoto, Bel._ "They're all going at one another with everything they have."_ Ryohei, Lussuria._ "Everyone is trying to win." _Lambo, Hibari._ "Everyone is getting hurt." _Mammon, Levi._ "What good is fighting?" _Tsuna, Xanxus._ "I have to help now." _Gokudera._

I pushed myself up, stumbling a bit, and noticed that Basil was holding something out. My gun… I smiled a little and grabbed it gratefully. Tsuna's cry was heard and he landed with a loud crash in the courtyard. As much as I wanted to help, this was his fight. I had to find Lussuria, and fast. Fifteen minutes was up. Everyone was at the halfway mark of the poison.

I felt Basil hurrying alongside me. "Gokudera-dono, Lambo-dono, and Hibari-dono have already been given the antidote. Sawada-dono and Xanxus are fighting already. Sasagawa-dono, Dokuro-dono, and Yamamoto-dono are still in danger! Let's go to them first."

Shaking my head, I replied, "No, Hibari-kun is probably going after Yamamoto-kun. Ryohei-kun is going to be freed by Gokudera-kun. Bel-kun is going to free Mammon, and Kori-chan will be in danger. We have to help her."

We ran towards the gym, but something in my system protested. I gasped and fell to my knees. My chest was burning again… I grabbed my shirt and panted heavily, sweat dripping down my face. It was like something was biting at my heart.

Basil stopped and looked back. "Najika-chan! Art thou all right?" he asked, kneeling beside me. "Is your chest hurting?" He noticed that I was holding my chest and he frowned. "The poison must have infiltrated your entire artery system. It was only supposed to go a little ways in… Even if it went too far, the antidote should have helped thee…"

I shook my head. "I'm fine. I just need a little… rest…" I leaned on Basil, closing my eyes. I was so tired… I just wanted to sleep. But I wanted to see Tsuna win. He was going to beat Xanxus. "I'm fine," I repeated, struggling to open my eyes.

"Thou art not fine," he snapped. "Thou are… I know what happened to thee. I know that thou art different from the others." I looked down. So he knew. "Thou do not have to be afraid of using that power."

Looking up at him, I smiled weakly. "Yeah. I know. It's just that I haven't used it in too long, so it'll be really hard to control. But if it's to help my friends, I'll do it." Basil nodded. "I'm not scared."

He nodded again and lifted me using both hands. "Let's go, then. The others are probably on their way to help Dokuro-dono now."

I smiled. "Put me down. I'll go help. You do me a favor and go find Lambo-chan and Ryohei-kun, and make sure they're okay." He nodded and slipped something into my hand before putting me down. "Huh?"

"Thou art going to need that Ring. Get it to Sawada-dono." I nodded and we both ran off in different directions. I was close to the gym; I could feel Chrome's presence. She was there. But there were others, too. Gokudera, Yamamoto, Bel, and Mammon. Damn.

I could feel rage and fear burning in me. They pressed me forward, faster, towards the gym. I reached the open doors and saw the familiar Flames of the five Guardians. But Mammon's was the more powerful of all of them, even after his defeat at Mukuro's hands. His illusions were all over the place. I could feel the fear for my friends growing. What was Mammon doing?

It was then I noticed five white glints on the floor. The Rings. Storm, Rain, Cloud, Sun, and Thunder. Mammon must've had the Mist Ring, and I had the Wave Ring. I couldn't let them get all of these Rings.

More rage, anger, at what they were willing to do to win. More fear for Gokudera, Chrome, and Yamamoto. I ran to the middle of the gym and stood in front of the captive Gokudera and Yamamoto. Bel had Chrome by the arms and was holding a weapon to her throat.

"Let her go," I spat through my teeth, feeling my power finally reaching its peak. For at least five years, I spent my time hiding this power. Now it was time to show them what I could do.

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

Najika… what was happening to her? There was a burst of white power radiating at her feet, swirling around and growing steadily.

Even Bel and Mammon seemed to stop to stare at what was happening. She was facing the Varia, so he couldn't see her face. As the power grew to twice the size it was originally, it exploded with light, so fierce and dangerous that it hurt just to look at it. It looked like lightning was lashing out at everything.

It shot up her entire body, outlining her frame in bright, white-blue fire. So this was what a Flame looked like… The Flame shot out even more fierce light, blowing holes in the gym walls. As she slowly raised her arm, her Flame concentrated into her hand.

"Obliterate them," she ordered quietly. Whipping her hand across her entire front, it turned into a sort of whip, slamming Bel into the opposite wall and finding the real Mammon, tossing him to the ground. Yamamoto and Gokudera were released from the Varia Mist's hold, sighing as they sunk to the ground.

She was still radiating the Flame, and Gokudera realized that this was the power she'd used to beat Basil, only at least twice the size and ten times the ferocity. She'd been holding back in that match. Najika walked forward and propped Chrome up against the wall, out of range of her attacks. Bel and Mammon were sitting up, looking slightly dazed.

The power she was radiating grew as she turned back to the two Varia members. She raised her hand and glared at the two. She looked at them for a minute before attacking Mammon again, throwing him across the room. The Mist Ring fell from his hand onto the ground. The brunette Wave Guardian practically floated across the room and picked up the Ring before taking it to Chrome.

Once she'd given Chrome the antidote, she sent another glare at Bel and Mammon. Gokudera was glad she wasn't sending that at him… it was close to terrifying. She was angry, and the Flame she was emitting told him that.

She snapped, "Leave. I don't care much for the Rings, so feel free to take them. Here." She threw the Mist and Wave Ring at them.

_What the hell is she thinking? She's handing over power to the enemy!_

"Just leave before I change my mind. Don't think I wouldn't kill you for what you've done." Bel froze.

He reached out to her, willing her to come to him. "Come on, Naji-hime. We'll find you help for whatever you're stuck with," he practically pleaded, his voice softer than Gokudera had ever heard.

She laughed dryly, smirking at the Varia. "Naji-hime? Well, I hate to break it to you, but your little Princess chose to finally let me out. I'm a part of her. I'm not as kind as she is. Now leave."

With one last fleeting look at Najika, Bel fled with Mammon and the Rings.

Now, she turned to glare at him and Yamamoto. "You two. I suppose I should be thanking you. She wanted to protect you, so she let me out. But…" The red Flame grew again as a dangerous look of cruelty and craze crossed Najika's usually innocent face. "… you're also the reason that she was so hesitant to use me in her match. She suffered too much internal pain. I felt it." She grimaced, putting a hand over her heart. "For that, you're as good as dead."

Gokudera scrambled up, but didn't take out any dynamites. "I know," he said. "I know I hurt her, and I never meant to." The Flame froze and began retreating into the hand over her heart. "I care about Najika-chan a lot," he admitted, looking down sheepishly.

He noticed Yamamoto looking at him in shock. Gokudera was never that open with his feelings. The swordsman stood as well. "I don't think any of us meant to hurt her. When we hurt her, we were only trying to protect her, but I guess that didn't work, did it?" For once, the baseball idiot was serious. He knew the gravity of this situation. "We're all really sorry. Everyone was so upset when she left."

"I guess that means she got you back by betraying you?" Najika laughed a little, but it was too cruel to be her. "I never thought she'd be that harsh. She must've been really hurt! Let me explain something. I'm Najika but I'm also not. She's the more reasonable side, while I hold all the power. I don't forgive easily. Your words? They mean nothing."

Her hands both glowed with power as she lunged at Yamamoto first. He was clearly hesitant to pull out his sword, in danger of injuring her. He kept dodging and pushing away her attacks, but when she used the Flame as a whip again, Yamamoto cried out in pain as he was flung back. When he landed, Gokudera knew he was unconscious.

She turned on him and started to try and hit him. "Najika-chan! I know you're in there, so stop!" the bomber pleaded while dodging. He had to block one that came towards his gut. "Come on. Let her out," he growled in her face.

"Nope," she smirked. "It's been too long since I got a good fight. Why don't you use your dynamites, Storm-boy?" Gokudera hesitated, but kept blocking as she aimed more hits at him. His back hit the wall, and he knew he was cornered. He only could block her hits now. "Oops. Looks like you've got nowhere to go!"

As she aimed one last hit at his face, he ducked and grabbed her wrist. "Stop." Her eyes widened and she aimed at his gut again, but he grabbed her other wrist. "Najika-chan…" he looked down at her. She was so close…

The malicious Flame was calming a little bit as he dropped her wrists and pulled her into his chest. He hugged her gently. "Gokudera-kun?"

She was back. That was her, soft and innocent. He noticed that the red Flame was fading away. "Welcome back, Najika-chan," he whispered in her ear. "I missed you."

"I hurt you," she whispered back, her voice muffled by his shirt. "I'm so sorry… I really thought that you… that you thought I was weak." He pulled away from her a little and used one hand to make her look at him.

Gokudera's voice was soft as he replied, "You only hurt me because I thought you loved him. Bel, that stupid prince." He moved his face closer as he continued, "I was hurt because I thought you hated me." She seemed to be almost crying. "I couldn't bear that. You mean too much to me."

She smiled a little, tears dripping down her pale face. "This is so unlike you, Gokudera-kun."

He could feel his heart beating fast, and with her pressed close to him, he felt her heart going just as fast. "I know." His face was mere inches from hers, and as he hesitated to close the gap, he felt her pressing her lips to his.

However short a time that their lips were together, he felt her feelings for him. She didn't even have to say anything about it. He knew that she loved him, and she knew he loved her. It wasn't like some cheesy fairytale romance, but it was. They only knew each other for maybe two or three weeks.

But that kiss was no mistake. It wasn't lust or a heat of the moment decision.

It was assurance that they were still together.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

I once doubted how Gokudera felt for me. I didn't once he didn't pull away. When we parted, only just, I laughed a little.

"You know, everyone else probably saw that." I swear, his face turned bright red, and he started to sputter a little. "But… now that they have the Rings, the entire Varia is going to go after Tsuna-kun."

Gokudera must've realized this to be true, because he cried, "Juudaime!" He ran out the door, only to be met by Ryohei and Basil, who was carrying Lambo. I gently slapped Yamamoto's cheek a few times. I must've hit him pretty hard for him to be unconscious for that long.

When he woke, the first thing he asked was, "What's the score?" Typical Yamamoto. Thinking of baseball at a time like this?

I quickly explained the situation to him, as Gokudera did the same for Ryohei and Basil. We were all back together. Yamamoto helped Chrome out of the gym as we rushed to the courtyard. We were all injured, which slowed us down a little, as I took the time to help them all.

I looked to Yamamoto, who's side I was bandaging. "Sorry about reopening your wound, Yamamoto-kun."

He grinned a little and laughed it off. "No problem, Najika-chan! Let's just hurry and help Tsuna!" I knew a few of them were wary of me, but I would worry about that after we helped Tsuna win. Chrome was fine, just a little tired, Ryohei's wrist was easily bandaged, and Gokudera only needed a few bandages.

We reached the courtyard and were all shocked. Tsuna was on the ground, panting, as Bel and Mammon put all the Rings onto the chain that Xanxus wore. If they got all of them, it was over. Damn. I looked down. I'd given them those Rings when I was in my "state." Gokudera noticed this and grabbed my hand firmly.

But the Rings, once put into the slots, seemed to hurt Xanxus. They weren't giving him the power he desired. In fact, they were rejecting him. He fell, face first into the ground. My eyes widened. He wasn't the Boss of Vongola? If he had the blood of Vongola, why did the Rings reject him?

It was the voice of a familiar swordsman that explained it. Squalo… he was alive. "The regret, and the grudge caused by the betrayal. I know." So Xanxus and the 9th weren't even related… "That day, when you were frozen by the Kyuudaime, I was still conscious. I heard."

No wonder Xanxus was always so angry. If he was betrayed by the only person he ever called "family," it was no wonder that he ended up like that. I sighed. I didn't know how he must've felt, because of how I was raised. But to be betrayed by your own family must hurt deeply.

I stepped forward, dropping Gokudera's hand. The rest of the Guardians looked at me curiously. Squalo wasn't done talking, but I kept going forward, taking slow, wary steps towards the angry Varia Boss.

Xanxus murmured something. All his cards were out on the table. There was nothing left for him to hide. "Wasn't the reason that Kyuudaime didn't kill you, even after being betrayed, was that he wanted to accept you to the very end?" Tsuna asked. I stopped in my tracks. "The Kyuudaime acknowledged you more than anyone else. He thought of you as his real child!"

But Xanxus wouldn't accept it. He wouldn't accept that he would never be the Boss. Gokudera's bombs stopped Bel and Mammon from going any further to harm anyone. Hibari even came up to fight.

"Why?" I asked quietly. "Why?" The entire field turned to look at me, as I just stood there, my eyes hidden. "Why do you all continue to fight? It won't solve anything anymore. It's because of fighting that we're where we are!" If no one had fought in the Cradle Affair, Xanxus would have kept going. He would have kept getting stronger, not going after a bunch of teenagers. Tsuna would have quietly risen to become the Boss, and then from there, everything would have gone peacefully.

Of all people, I should've known that the world doesn't work that way. If people don't get what they want, they become willing to hurt others to get it. I hesitated, but walked do the side of Gokudera. "Fighting doesn't stop everything, but if it helps to make everything normal, I will fight."

So Xanxus had called a support team to eradicate the entire Family that Tsuna had made, and our friends on the outside wouldn't be able to help us. My fists clenched. Why was I still wearing the Varia jacket? Pulling it off, I hurled it at Bel, who caught it. "Naji… hime?" he asked, sounding almost hurt.

"I'm sorry, Bel," I began, "but I've realized that I stand here, with Tsuna-kun. Thank you… for everything… and I'm sorry." He sighed, but seemed to accept it. Chrome then realized that someone was coming. Three Varia members jumped down behind us.

_You still with me?_

**_Of course, Najika. I am you. Perhaps it's time that we become "you."_**

_Right. I accept that power._

**_Good. I'll see you around, ne?_**

_Yeah. Goodbye, and thank you for everything._

**_My pleasure._**

My hands lit up with the red Flames again. I'd come to realize why Xanxus had a red Flame. It was because he had the Flames of Rage. Is that what I had? No… I had the Resolution Flames. It was like the Flames of Rage, but also completely different. I smirked. "Let's go."

However, I didn't have to even start. They fell on their own. "Reporting: The entire Varia squad, except us, has been defeated. He was too strong! A man with the strength of a demon is heading this way!"

A strong burst of wind came out of nowhere. A stormy Flame, tinted with a dark blue. I knew this man. It was Mukuro's former guardian, one I knew very well. Lancia…

A smile overtook my face. "Lancia-san!" I cried. Bel was stupid enough to try and hit Tsuna, but Yamamoto came to his rescue. When Mammon tried to escape, Chrome used her illusions to prevent it. Hibari and Ryohei stepped forward to help Yamamoto, and I stepped to Chrome's side, lighting up my Flames, as Gokudera and Basil rushed to help Tsuna.

We all stood with him. We were his Family. Xanxus was done for if he even tried to mess with any of us. I smirked a little bit. His eyes closed. It was over. Tsuna had won, becoming the Vongola 10th. We could all go home safely. I remembered all of us together, with Kyoko, Haru, Fuuta, and I-Pin. Tsuna seemed to smile before succumbing to his injuries. I watched Hibari and Chrome walk off somewhere as the rest of us helped Tsuna.

This is what it meant to be a Family. This is what it meant to win.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Yay for overdrama? Wow, I knew when I wrote this, that this was going to be stupid and overdramatic, but I was like... wow. But this was the result of me revealing Najika's power beforehand. I was originally going to stick this in the Future Arc, but hey, I decided to stick it into here, so whatever. Now, since the Future Arc will begin in a few chapters, I'm going to be using the Filler Arc, or Daily Life Arc, to strengthen bonds and do some other crazy stuff before I have to start with the future. Which means that it's all over. Yeah, it's over, done, and the Varia have been defeated.**

**But don't think this is the end, just yet. There's still things you guys don't know, and things that have yet to be stopped. Namely... the Millefiore Boss, Byakuran. That bastard... As much as I love him, he's gotta go.**

**Sorry for all Byakuran fans, but he ****_is_**** still going to die. My apologies. This second half, aka: the TYL! Arc, is going to start in three chapters. There's still some mysteries to unravel in those three chapters. They ****_are_**** fillers, don't be fooled, but they're not just there to put more fluff into the mix, they also are there to strengthen the relationships between Najika and the rest of the Guardians, namely Gokudera, Chrome/Mukuro, Hibari, Yamamoto, and Tsuna. Basil and Bel, unfortunately, will not make appearances until the TYL! Arc. They are still insanely huge parts, so don't worry, Tek-Tek. Your Prince the Ripper will be coming back.**


	11. The Meaning of Family

**Episode 11: The Meaning of Family  
>"There's nothing you could say, nothing you could do… There's no other way when it comes to the truth. So keep holding on… 'Cause you know we'll make it through, we'll make it through…"<br>-"Keep Holding On" by Avril Lavigne**

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><p>The next day, when I woke up, the first thing I remembered was that it was over. It was all done… Finally.<p>

But… I still had to apologize to everyone. For everything I'd done to hurt them, from betrayal to harsh words. A knock on my door caused me to pull on my clothes quickly and answer.

"Good morning, Najika-chan." Tsuna. What was he doing here? "Um… well, apparently there's a party at Yamamoto's sushi restaurant. Would you like to come?" Apparently, my hesitation worried him, because he quickly amended, "I mean, if it's not too much trouble for you! After all," he paused, "you are the Wave Guardian, right?"

He wanted me to stay as his Wave Guardian?

I smiled. "Tsuna-kun… if you'll still allow me to be your Wave Guardian, even after all I've done, I'd be happy to do it." I bowed to him as he quickly nodded his head. "Well, lead the way… Boss." I laughed as he sputtered something about not calling him "Boss."

At Yamamoto's, everyone had turned up except for Hibari and Chrome. Everyone was laughing and smiling, joking around like nothing had ever even happened. It was like the day that Squalo had turned up and started all of this. I couldn't remember the last time that I smiled so much. I felt safe again, just by being around so many people that I loved.

At one point in time, Dino came up to me and said, "Hey, Najika-chan. I should apologize about saying those things." He gave a sheepish, apologetic grin. "You're stronger than you look."

I shook it off and replied, "I should be the one apologizing to everyone. I'm so sorry! I mean, I betrayed all of you, but Tsuna still took me back as the Wave Guardian. Honestly, I don't think I deserve such great friends." Dino simply laughed and patted my back.

I spent most of the day with Gokudera and Basil, staring at the white glint of the Wave Ring around my neck. Today was a day for fun and friends. Even though I tried to apologize for everything to the rest of the Family, no one would allow me to say how sorry that I was. They only said that they were glad I was back.

How did I get so lucky with my friends? Everyone's antics made me laugh. It was like we were all back to normal.

Even Lambo was normal again, running around, being loud, and teasing poor Tsuna. Having all this time with each other reminded me of before the whole Ring Conflict happened and the Varia began to attack. The day that Squalo came, all of us were like this. I was happy.

My happy mood was immediately killed when Tsuna came up to me and explained, "Basil-kun and Lancia-san are leaving. I know that you're good friends with both of them, so would you come with me to say goodbye?"

I nodded. "Of course, Tsuna-kun."

We both took off down the street, Reborn on Tsuna's shoulder. They'd left quite a while beforehand, so it took us a good few minutes to catch up to them. "Wait!" he yelled as they came within our line of sight.

"Najika-chan, Sawada-dono! Reborn-san!" Basil exclaimed. I stopped first, letting Tsuna speak.

He panted, but asked, "Y-You're going home to Italy without saying a word?" Basil apologized, saying that he was summoned and that he didn't want to ruin anyone's mood. They both gave Tsuna something to keep, even though he said that he couldn't accept anything.

I stepped forward after Tsuna gave me a look. I quickly hugged Basil, squeezing him tightly. He hugged me back as I buried my face in his shoulder and said, "I'm going to miss you, Basil-kun. You're the brother I never really had."

His arms wrapped around me. "I'm going to miss you, too, but I got a cell phone while here in Japan. I already have everyone else's contact. Here, put in yours." He pulled away and handed me his phone. After putting in my e-mail and phone number, I noticed something.

"You're not speaking like you used to," I commented. He laughed sheepishly and, but only shrugged. "I like it. Keep speaking modern Japanese, Basil-kun. It suits you," I teased, hugging him quickly. I turned to Lancia and smiled softly. "I never got to thank you for taking care of Sakkaku-kun for all those years. I know what he did to you was awful, but he's Family to me."

Lancia chuckled a little. "I remember you now. You were that girl that Mukuro always brought with him. He called you 'Kanari-chan,' right?" I nodded. "I always liked you. You kept all three of those idiots in line. Keep up the good work, okay, kid?"

I saluted the tall man. "Right, Lancia-san! Have a good trip home, both of you!" I exclaimed, looking from one Flame to the other.

A familiar female voice called, "Hey, kid!" Lal? What was she doing? I remembered finding a note in Braille that she'd left, saying that she was going back to Italy for a little. "Nice job in the Sky Match. Reborn told me what happened. Glad you're okay, though." I smiled and dropped to my knees in front of her. "It was a nice run, kid. I'm only here to take these two home. I'll see you 'round, though."

I nodded, but then remembered. "Ah, Lal-san, I made something for you. It's not much, but…" I handed her the small picture keychain with a photo booth picture from one of our days together inside of it. "I'm going to miss you."

She laughed a tiny bit. "See you."

I stood next to Tsuna as we watched all three of our friends leave. But I'd see them again. I knew I would. Nevertheless, Tsuna and I went back to the party, and we were immediately greeted by Gokudera, who was in a state of panic when he discovered Tsuna was gone.

Over the next few days, my sight got better and I met with the rest of the Guardians, who all seemed to be all right, and watched as strange, yet entertaining and funny, things kept happening, thanks to the deceiving nature of Reborn.

During the "test of courage," I was paired with Chrome to scare Tsuna and Lambo, since everyone else wanted to scare people. Gokudera was paired with I-Pin, Haru with Kyoko and Bianchi, and Fuuta, Yamamoto, and Ryohei.

Honestly, I think Chrome and I would have won if that stupid ghost, Romeo, didn't interfere. We had it all planned out; we were going to wait until he ran the opposite way from Yamamoto and his team, and then Chrome was going to use one of her illusions to make me look like I was dead.

Instead, we jumped Tsuna and the rest of them when it was all over and they were departing the graveyard, using an image from Vampire Knight as a display. I was getting attacked by a "vampire," then "the handsome hero" came and saved me. To say that everyone had freaked out was an understatement. Chrome was a genius, and she was now my best female friend.

I bought her a cell phone and allowed her, Ken, and Chikusa to move in with me, since I was living alone in an empty house. She didn't come to school with the others, but during lunch and in between classes, we were always texting.

_Reborn came in 2day as Tsunas parent! LOL, it was hilarious. -^o^- Lambo and I-Pin joined them. LMAO._

**_Hha, sonds lke fum! :)_**

I giggled at Chrome's bad spelling attempts, but she was getting better. I was probably the only student who didn't have my parents come. Even Gokudera's sister, Bianchi, came in.

Speaking of Gokudera, he was popular, which actually surprised me, given his rough exterior. Several girls asked him out each day, but he said that he wasn't interested in them.

When he broadcasted that we were dating, boy, was I an unpopular person. Several girls threatened me that day, but Gokudera's glare scared them all off, sending them scattering around the school in order to avoid becoming his next victim.

Yamamoto, Ryohei, Tsuna, Hibari, and Chrome found out about our relationship and they all seemed to approve. Tsuna, Ryohei, and Yamamoto would give us space whenever we were all together, but they would tease Gokudera when it was just the guys. He kept complaining about it whenever we were together. Some of the comments made me laugh.

Chrome told Mukuro, who gave Gokudera the classic, "hurt her and I'll castrate you" big brother talk, but still approved of my choice. Even Hibari, who hated PDA in the hallways, ignored whenever Gokudera snuck me tiny kisses or held my hand. It was nice they were trying to help us.

Gokudera was great, too. He took me out every day and we just walked around town, talking about everything from the weather to our futures. We didn't speak about our relationship in the future, since we were pretty sure that we were going to stay together, if not romantically, then as Guardians and friends.

We even were named as Bianchi and Reborn's Best Man and Maid of Honor, and Chrome granted me illusion sight for the day. Damn, did Gokudera look good in a tux. Even though the groom was a robot for most of the wedding ceremony, and there were a few odd times with said robot, we still managed a few dances. The best part was that even Dino and Chrome, who was escorted by Ken and Chikusa, came.

Bianchi gave up, and Nana and Iemitsu were put into the roles of bride and groom once again, all for a photograph.

Mostly everyone danced when the whole mishap with the robot was over. Even Ken and Chikusa danced. Not with Chrome; she didn't dance, neither did Lambo or I-Pin. Kyoko and Tsuna danced for a few songs, then Haru stole Tsuna away. I still didn't know who he was going to end up with. Ryohei danced with Hana, much to my surprise. I danced with all my friends, but mostly Gokudera for the slow songs. It was fun. Save for Yamamoto's stupid remark.

"So, when's the wedding for you two?"

I had never blushed so hard in my life. Everyone else seemed to find it funny, though. Gokudera looked almost ready to kill Yamamoto. It took Dino, Ryohei, and Tsuna to stop him.

It took two days for everything to go back to normal afterwards. Even with all the excitement, with Tsuna catching pickpockets and thieves, we still had time to be normal.

"Um, Hibari-kun, where do you want these?" I asked one day, holding up the stack of notebooks. Gokudera, Yamamoto, Tsuna, and I were all on clean-up duty for the day, and, seeing as how Hibari hated the other three, I had been asked to take the detention notebooks to the Reception Room.

He replied, "I'll take them." Footsteps echoed across the room and I felt the weight of the books lifted from my hands.

I smiled a little, shaking my arms out from the sudden shift in weight. "Thanks, Hibari-kun." I don't know why I called him something so familiar. It just sounded right to me. "Um… I don't mean to pry, but aren't you sixteen? Why are you still coming here, to Namimori Middle? You should be in the high school by now."

Hibari dropped the books onto his desk and sighed. "Don't ask that." I blinked, but nodded. "It's nothing worth telling."

Nodding again, I told him, "I understand, Hibari-kun. I have things I don't want anyone to know, either. I won't ask anymore, so I'm sorry to have pried. I'll see you later." Walking out of the Reception Room, with a wave, I felt the prefect's confused stare on my back.

As I opened the door to the classroom again, I was greeted by someone taking my hand and dragging me out the door. "Gokudera-kun, what's wrong?" I asked, knowing the feel of his hands on mine.

He stopped and replied, "We're going out for ice cream! Is that all right, Najika-chan? I mean, you're not too busy to come, right?" I shook my head. "Great!" I must've still looked worried, because Gokudera assured me, "I'd tell you if anything's wrong. Maybe not at first, but I'll tell you."

I deadpanned, "It's about Tsuna-kun and the science test tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah." I heard the Storm Guardian sigh. "Juudaime is really worried. So I told him to he could go home and study, and that we'd be over to help him. The baseball idiot left for practice."

As it turns out, Tsuna had a right to worry. Our science teacher hated us. I was doing pretty well on my test. It actually wasn't too different than the others, and I ended up getting an 89. However, poor Tsuna got a 26, and, to make it worse, Mr. Nezu, our teacher, showed the entire class the test. I exchanged a look with Yamamoto. Where was Gokudera?

Of course, he was late, and after Yamamoto and I stepped in, we were in danger of being expelled. I shrugged. Not like I cared. Gokudera's score was 100, and Yamamoto's was 60. Of course, Mr. Nezu simply accused all of us of cheating. I sighed and looked calmly out the window.

"Mr. Nezu," I started, "I'm blind. My test questions were different than the others, so there was no way we could've cheated. Gokudera-kun sits at the front, while Yamamoto-kun is in the way back. Tsuna and I are in the middle. There's no way we could've told each other answers without turning around or being caught."

Damn that Mr. Nezu. He simply shot down my reasoning as "defending delinquents." I grumbled and looked away, crossing my arms and shooting the science teacher a glare.

Next thing I know, Ryohei walked in and started yelling at Mr. Nezu. Even Kyoko came in and practically begged Mr. Nezu to allow us all to stay in school. Mr. Nezu allowed Tsuna a second chance, but if he didn't pass, we were all expelled, including Kyoko and Ryohei. He expected _us_ to teach Tsuna all the material in_ one night_. Wondrous.

I sat on Tsuna's bed, going through my notes. Haru, Kyoko, Gokudera, Yamamoto, and Ryohei were all trying to teach poor Tsuna all at once. It wasn't really helping poor Tsuna. I knew this was going nowhere, so I left to go make dinner for Chrome and the boys.

When I got back, everyone was asleep. I gaped a little, then propped them all up comfortably. It didn't look like they got a single thing done. Poor Tsuna… As I cleaned up, I realized why Tsuna's grades were so bad. He was trying, but his brain didn't absorb as well as the rest of ours. Piling the papers up, I stacked them so they were in order of date, and then maybe Tsuna would be able to understand them.

Morning came pretty fast, and I realized that Tsuna had missed the test. I rushed up to the Reception Room and flung the door open. Where was Hibari? He could get all of them out of this mess. Most all of the prefects were there, but not Hibari. I figured he'd be on the roof then.

When I got up to the roof, I looked down. Tsuna? What in the world were they doing? I walked over to where I saw Hibari sitting. "Hibari-kun, what the hell are they doing?" I asked, looking down at the group in confusion.

"Digging for a time capsule," he replied. "One from fifteen years ago." Another one of Mr. Nezu's schemes?

I groaned. "Wonderful. So I'm guessing that Mr. Nezu told them to find it or they're expelled." He looked over to me. "I hope you don't mind that they're digging up the school."

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter."

A comfortable silence overtook the two of us. I probably should've been helping, but I had a bad feeling about the digging. "Do you want anything? I have food in my bag, if you're hungry. Ken and Chikusa can take care of themselves and Chrome for a little."

He shrugged. "Whatever." Smirking, I pulled out a hamburger that I was going to bring home and handed it to the prefect. "… Thanks." How did I know that Hibari's favorite food was hamburger? I don't know, just the fact that whenever I actually saw him eating, that's what he ate. Although, I'm pretty sure that he only ate once a week…

It didn't take long for the sun to begin to set, and a visit from Reborn put everything into motion. I giggled. Reborn and his Dying Will Bullets… Tsuna began to dig up everything, finding pretty much every time capsule buried there. I knew he'd find the one from fifteen years ago, so I waved goodbye to Hibari and ran down to the courtyard.

"Did you find it?" I asked, walking up behind them? Gokudera began to relay the story to me, including how Mr. Nezu had been lying about his education. When Tsuna was dragged away by Reborn, I looked up to see Hibari, with Hibird on his shoulder, looking down at all of us. "Gosh, he's so OCD," I grumbled, raising one eyebrow at Hibari. "Time to clean up, I guess."

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><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Hibari ftw. That's all I can say. But really, this chapter was used to mostly strengthen relationships.**

**Chrome/Najika  
>HibariNajika  
>TsunaNajika  
>DinoNajika  
>GokuderaNajika**

**So yeah, that's it. "Keep Holding On" was used because it was kind of a song that really describes the relationships between the KHR Gang, that they're always there for each other. "The Meaning of Family" was also chosen, because this chapter was used to strengthen relationships and such. I was originally going to use "To the Promised Land" which is also known as "Yakusoku no Basho e," but soon decided against it. It was too abstract, so I decided against it. I was also going to use "The Sky's Family" and "The Meaning of Waves" but since the chapter doesn't focus on Tsuna or on what Waves mean, I also decided against that.**

**I hope you enjoyed.**


	12. Scarred

**Episode 12: Scarred  
>"Still I'll never know where you like to go when you're alone? Why can't you be reached; does anybody know? Waking up again, are you listening to anything I've said?"<br>-"Tell Me Where You Are" by Hit the Lights**

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><p>It was another normal day at Tsuna's house, with Yamamoto, Ryohei, Gokudera, and even Hibari and me all watching as I-Pin chased Lambo around, only for the cow to be blown up by Reborn, and Tsuna trying to stop it all. I picked up the crying assassin and hugged him, laughing as I-Pin simply stole Lambo's food.<p>

Hibari sighed and complained, "I hate crowding." Of course.

Reborn had called us here to discuss something without telling Tsuna, who cried, "Stop messing with my life, Reborn!" to which the baby kicked him once again. "Ow! That hurt…"

The Arcobaleno only shrugged and turned to us. "Go sit down in Tsuna's room. I have some information I thought you should know." I sighed and trudged up the stairs, all of them following. "Najika." I turned, stopping. "This is about you."

I froze, my eyes widening. "How… how did you-?" I stuttered, trying to demand how Reborn knew. Falling silent for a few moments, I bit my lip before demanding, "This is about _that_, isn't it?"

Reborn only replied, "Yes." I bit my lip again, rubbing my arms anxiously and looking anywhere but at the rest of the people gathered in the room.

In Tsuna's room, everyone was silent. "What are we waiting for?" I asked dryly, looking to Reborn. "Are you waiting for an invitation to reveal everything about me?"

He shook his head and replied, "We're waiting on Dino. He has the rest of the information and all of the records."

I stood suddenly, desperate to leave the tense room. "I'm getting Dobutsu-chan, Megane-chan, and Kori-chan. They know the story." Reborn pulled me back down and I groaned. "They're already on their way, aren't they?"

"Yes."

The door opened again and Dino walked in, followed by Chrome, Ken, and Chikusa. "Sorry I'm late." He put down a stack of papers onto the table. "Najika-chan. I didn't know that was you." I fidgeted a little bit. "We all thought you died with the rest of them."

Looking away, I bitterly spat, "Sorry. I can't die that easily anymore, thanks to those damned bastards were under Vongola control ten years ago." Everyone stared at me in response, while I crossed my arms and glared out the window, irritated and nervous.

Dino's tone was shocked as he asked, "Did you know that they were working without the Kyuudaime's permission?"

I glared at him. "Of course I knew. Which is why I didn't want to have to bring this up ever again. I wanted that part of me to stay dead. I kept it away for five years, and now because of the stupid Ring Conflict, the whole Mafia knows I'm alive."

Gokudera quietly asked, "What is he talking about, Najika-chan?"

Looking at him, I hesitated to reply. "She was a Mafia experiment for three years, Gokudera-kun," Dino bluntly replied for me. I sent a glare at him, and he shrunk back a little, but continued to speak. "She developed a mind of her own, and destroyed the lab, killing everyone in it."

"I was always supposed to be independent," I retorted. "I am human, you know."

Reborn quipped, "Not anymore."

I bit my lip to keep from snapping and completely flying off the handle. "Stop trying to piss me off. I'm not going to snap." I was trying to tell myself more than anyone else.

Dino sounded skeptical when he said, "Sure you're not." I looked to him, glaring again, and he supplied, "We found records in the remains of the hard drive from the lab. At the age of fifteen, you're going to start to lose your mind. Like before."

"I know!" I snapped, bristling angrily as memories flashed through my mind. "I know everything you know! I was programmed like this, remember?" I practically screamed.

Tsuna and Yamamoto both asked, "Programmed?"

I sighed. Now I had to explain. "When I was only six months old, the Mafia took me from my parents. Najika isn't my real name. It's a name I took when I was in the lab. I don't know where they are. I lied to you all when I said my family is living in Kokuyo and that I've been blind since birth. I was blinded as a result of an experiment, and a day of anger…"

_Sounds… people speaking? Voices are ringing through the air. I don't know what they're saying. Why can't I hear them?_

_I opened my eyes and, through a clear liquid and glass, I saw someone in a suit and tie leering over me. "Who are you?" I asked softly, my voice echoing in the glass and liquid around me._

_The man didn't seem to hear me, but I heard what he said next. "Bring her out. We're going to use her to train them." He turned back to me and I heard someone yell something in the back. However, he smiled cruelly. "I know she'll die. She's only an experiment."_

_"She's a child, sir!" an outraged voice cried loudly. "She lives and breathes, and she is the smartest of them all! If she dies now, we may never be able to duplicate what we've done with her!"_

_He turned to the voice. "Shut up. I want her, so take her out." I didn't hear anything else, but I felt something sticking into my arm. Then came blackness._

_When I woke up, I saw that I was in a field facing several officers with guns. My little white dress blew in the wind and a rage bubbled up in my stomach. The familiar fire ignited around me, and I sent it at the men. Three of them fell, dead, dropping their guns. I didn't move as several of the men recovered and shot at me. It just pissed me off even further. Narrowing my eyes at them, I wrapped the red rope of fire around all of the men who shot at me and squeezed, slicing them in half._

_That fire that I created was red, like the blood that stained the grass._

_It only took me a few minutes to take them all down. I heard clapping and saw the man who ordered the white-coats to take me out. He stood. "Well, they were all useless. Good job, you little brat."_

_"Her name is Najika," the same outraged voice protested. A woman was glaring at the man angrily, as if he had insulted her. Najika? Was that my name?_

_The man scoffed. "Not like I care. To me, she's Experiment X, version 9.0, and she's just another body on the battlefield." What was that supposed to mean? An Experiment? What was that? "Take her away." Two large men in black suits gently took my hands and pulled me with them, my feet dragging on the ground._

_A huge white building stood in front of me. It was big to my eyes. Inside, I was put on a table, with the woman looking at me with lights and monitors. "Who am I?" I asked, looking at her._

_She looked up and replied, "Your name is Najika Kamiya. You're nine years old, and you're a Mafia Experiment."_

_"Mafia?"_

_"Battle people."_

_I nodded. "Who are you?"_

_She smiled a little. "My name is Haruka Kamiya. I'm not your mother, but I'm in charge of you."_

_I tilted my head a little. "Mother?"_

_Haruka sighed. "Najika, I know this is hard for you to understand. You're not human. You're not a person. To them, you're just a tool for killing." My hatred came back. Now I knew why I was so angry when I saw those men. They wanted to use me. "Najika?" I saw the fire starting at the bottom of my feet again. "Najika, no!" Haruka shrieked as she saw my red fire engulf my body._

_Pushing myself off the table, I walked over to the woman and wrapped my arms around her. "Burn." She screamed in pain as my flame ate away at her skin. I looked down at her mutilated body mercilessly._

_I opened the door and walked out, the fire around me still flickering. I began to destroy the entire lab, leaving no survivors. Every white-coat died. Every animal died. Every man in black died. Even all of my fellow Experiments died. No one was left in that lab._

_I stood in the ashes of the building, glaring at the damage I had done, even though I couldn't see it anymore. In the attack, I had gotten something in my eyes thanks to one of those scientists, and I could no longer see_

_ "I am a person. I am not a tool," I spat fiercely, feeling myself shaking. "I won't be your puppet anymore." I swore to myself then and there that I would hate the Mafia for what they'd done to me._

_"Oh dear, what a mess," a voice sighed. I turned the source of the voice. "Hello there." He was part of the Mafia. My Flame grew back and I felt the need to kill him. "Don't get angry. Not all Mafia are like the ones that you met. I'm only here to offer you a fresh start." My Flame died a little. So he was a kind Mafioso…_

_A fresh start? One without Mafia? "Why?"_

_He laughed. "You're only a child, not a murderer." Murderer? "A killer. You're not supposed to have killed so many. I am only ashamed that you would be harmed like this, and by my people." I didn't reply. He was the one in charge of those people? "I'm going to fly you out to Japan, and let you have a start. But you have to promise me something."_

_"What?"_

_I felt him ruffle my hair. "I want you to find friends. Let's see those eyes of yours." A pause. "They're such a pretty purple now. It's a shame you can't see with them." He sighed sadly, patting my shoulder. Blind? I can't see? "Will you promise me that you'll find friends?"_

_I nodded. "Promise."_

"All I knew from then on was that I was never supposed to be human. Just a tool, sold to the Mafia to kill for them." I sighed, finishing my first memory. "I don't remember anything before that. The scientists wiped my memories every time that I went back to sleep. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you any of this before. You would have judged me for it."

Tsuna's wavering voice asked, "What happened to you afterwards?"

I shrugged. "The old man kept his promise. He flew me to Japan and left me in Kokuyo, where I kept my end of the deal and made friends. It took me a while to get used to being a normal person, but in the end, I did it." I smiled a little, attempting to keep myself from crying.

Gokudera stood up and walked out, slamming the door behind him. I looked up sadly, tears forming and threatening to spill. I knew he was upset. Hibari stood up, too, and left, muttering about how much he despised crowds.

I sighed and rubbed my eyes. "I ruined everything. He hates me now."

**X Hayato Gokudera X**

Gokudera growled, sliding against the wall in front of Juudaime's home. How could Najika not tell him that? Did she not trust him? She said that the Kokuyo bastards knew her story. How did they know?

"Herbivore," Hibari's voice growled. Gokudera looked up to see the prefect looming over him angrily. "She's crying again."

The bomber snapped, "Why do you care? She's not important to you!"

A tonfa came out of nowhere and slammed Gokudera into the wall. "Say it again. I'll bite you to death," the prefect demanded calmly. Gokudera held the injured side of his face. Damn that Hibari. "Go inside. She's upset." With that, Hibari walked off, sliding his weapons back into his sleeves.

Gokudera glared at Hibari's back. Why did he even care about Najika? "Damn him." He stood up and stormed off. He needed some time alone to think about what she'd just told him.

He stopped at the park and sat on one of the swings. He didn't know how long he sat there, and he didn't seem to notice the brunette girl who plagued his thoughts. "Are you mad?" he heard her voice ask him. She wasn't even looking at him. But he did notice something.

"You cut your hair?" he asked. It was true. Najika's brown hair had been so long that even when she pulled it up, it went down the small of her back. Now, it was to her shoulder blades. "Why?" She looked at him, and it was clear to him that she was even reluctant to do so.

She sighed. "I thought it was time for a change." Looking forward, she closed her eyes, which were starting to well up. "I haven't cut my hair in a long time. It'll take a while for it to grow back to its original length. I just… maybe, since I was finally able to tell the truth about me, I can change even more."

Gokudera reached over and gently took her hand. "You don't have to change." He stood and pulled her up with him. "You don't have to change at all." She smiled a little and moved to wrap her arms around his chest. He noticed that she was crying as she held onto him. He hugged her back and let his forehead rest on the top of her head and whispered, "Sorry. I was a total ass back there. I didn't even think of you."

"I should've told you about my past," she replied, grabbing the back of his shirt. He dropped one of his hands and lifted her chin up. She stared at him with wide purple eyes, but didn't hesitate to return his feelings when he kissed her. "I'm taking that as a forgiveness."

He nodded and kissed her again, with just as much passion as the first. "Yeah. Am I forgiven?"

She smirked a little. "Kiss me again, and I'll consider." Gokudera complied, letting it last longer, but not taking advantage of her in any way. During one of their talks, she confessed to him that she wasn't ready to go any further than kissing. So Gokudera didn't do anything, not even use tongue like most guys would. When he pulled away she smiled. "I guess I forgive you, Gokudera-kun."

Still holding her hand, Gokudera led Najika home before promising to come for her to take her out the next day.

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER EDITED AS OF 615/13**

**Atogaki-**

**Najika's Past, and Fluff. Wow, what an accomplishment this chapter was. I fail.**

**But yeah, so "Scarred..." obvious. "Tell Me Where You Are" is kind of just like really distinct connection to how Gokudera feels. He just feels like Najika's been hiding something from him, and he feels kind of upset and dejected about it, so it seems like the kind of song that would fit. Plus, Hit the Lights is great, and I recommend you check them out. I really established the line for Hibari and Najika's relationship. Plus, Dino finally makes his reappearance, and decides to use it to bring up Najika's past. And if Najika seemed a little bitchy when her past was brought up, it's because of what they did to her.**

**One more thing about her Flames. They ****_are_**** flames, and if she wants them to, she can burn people, or they can act as a weapon, like the ones in the future do. Like, in the TYL! Arc, you never see anyone actually get burned by the Flames, 'cept for Byakuran at the end. So her Flames can be weapons or fire. Just don't judge me, I know I fail!**


	13. Truth and Reason

**Episode 13: Truth and Reason  
><strong>"**The world's a thousand shades of blue, like we're here in a kaleidoscope, don't want it to be over… Like everything that's in my mind is here, right in front of my eyes. And you're the one who got me here."  
><strong>**-"Parachutes and Airplanes" by David Archuleta**

* * *

><p>I'd been having dreams – nightmares – lately. They were always about Mukuro, and what was happening to him in prison. Every night, I'd open my eyes, and I'd be back in one of those science tanks. I'd always look around, and I'd always see the illusionist, asleep, trapped in another one of those tanks.<p>

I kept banging on the sides of my tube, hoping that he could hear me. He never responded. Yet I still tried, hoping that Mukuro would wake up.

When I asked Chrome about it, she said, "Mukuro-sama says that he'd love to talk to you. But when you're sleeping, you have wild nightmares about him. He can never get through to you."

So I was sleeping soundly on Saturday night, hoping that Mukuro would break through. I was in a white room, with nothing in it, except for a table and two chairs, both painted white.

A familiar laugh rang through the air. "Kufufufu~ Well, Kanari-chan. I've been waiting for you." Mukuro started to appear, fading through the air. "I told you that I'd see you again. But I never thought you'd cut your hair."

I smiled and hugged him. "Sakkaku-kun! It's been a while since we got to talk like this."

He smiled a little and looked around, on hand on my back. "Your imagination is so dreary, Kanari-chan. Here, let's change the scenery a little." With a single wave of his hand, the room swirled and then changed, fading into my old apartment in Kokuyo. "Remember this?"

"Yeah, I remember this." I laughed and sat down. "I remember when you first used your illusions to show it to me. I wish I still had illusion sight," I sighed. Mukuro sat down across from me and passed me a cup of coffee. "None of this is real, right?"

Mukuro shrugged. "It's real to your mind, but other than that, it's not. But that's for you to decide."

Taking a sip, I replied, "At least your coffee tastes good." He chuckled a little and I put my cup down. "Down to business. Where are you that you can't come and visit other than in dreams?"

"The Vendicare Prison. I succeeded until they got close. I told Ken and Chikusa to go off on their own. I'm glad to see that they made it to you." He smiled and reached over to ruffle my hair. "But now I'm stuck, and I can only get out if I swear to use my powers for the Mafia." He grimaced.

I asked, confused, "But, aren't you already using your powers for the Mafia? You and Kori-chan are fighting for Tsuna-kun."

He laughed. "Yes, but they believe I have ulterior motives. I have none but that I want to make sure that you'll be okay." I was about to tell him that I was fine, but he continued, "You see, I've seen things while I sleep. For some reason, it's always about you and the little Mafiosi. One thing that I saw was you and that Storm Guardian, and you were together on the beach."

I looked confused. "Why would that be bad?"

The illusionist sighed. "You were around seven months pregnant." My jaw dropped to the floor. "Don't worry, you were probably twenty at that point," he amended, relieving my fears.

Sighing in relief, I took another sip of coffee. "So what's happening in your dreams that makes you worry?"

"You died."

I dropped the mug as I stared at Mukuro. There was no evidence that he was lying. "What?"

He repeated, "You died." I sputtered nonsense, but he put a finger to my lips, shushing me. "The Mafia probably doesn't want me to tell you this. But I just want you to be careful. Maybe I'll be out by the time that happens, but I'm not able to promise anything right now."

The glass shards of the mug and the coffee stain began to fade, as if they'd never even been there. "If I'm to die in the future, I'll just have to make sure that I don't," I reasoned.

Mukuro shook his head. "You're part of the Mafia now. You're always in danger, Najika."

The entire room began to fade back to white and I gaped at it. "Mukuro, what's happening?" When I turned back to him, the blue-haired Mafioso was fading, too. "What's going on?" He looked up and smiled sadly.

"Time's up."

I jolted up in my bed, breathing heavily. I looked at my hands and sighed when I saw that I couldn't see anything. "I'm not dreaming anymore." I looked around the room. Nothing.

The door burst open and I gasped. "What's wrong? Who was in here with you?" Ken's voice demanded. "Murusaki-chan?"

I grabbed the bottle of those Flame pills and took one. Ken's familiar Flame started to appear alongside Chikusa's. Groaning, I shook my head. "Don't worry about it, Dobutsu-chan. It's nothing, just a nightmares again."

Chikusa even sounded worried. "Are you sure you're okay, Najika?" I nodded. "Okay… We'll get breakfast ready." He didn't seem to believe that I was all right. I sighed. Wait… can those two even cook?

Oh, well. They can't be that bad.

Can they?

Pushing myself out of bed, I slipped on my school uniform. When I headed downstairs, I swore that something was burned. "Ken, Chikusa, what did you burn!" I cried. "If you destroyed my coffee maker again, you're buying me another one!"

Ken laughed sheepishly. "Well… we didn't destroy your coffee maker. We just set fire to your toaster!" he explained. I groaned.

"Well, there goes my toaster waffle breakfast. Whatever." I knew my way around the kitchen well enough, so I reached into my cupboards and pulled out a box of rice crackers and took a few. "I've got to get to school now, so I guess I'll see you guys tonight."

They all said that they'd see me later, and to have a good day. As I ran out the door, I kept thinking about what Mukuro had told me he saw. He saw my death. I was set to die sometime in the future. He didn't really say when, so what, could it be today, tomorrow, in a year, in ten? How did I die in his vision? Stabbed, assassinated, blown up by Lambo, strangled, drowning, burning, or shot? Who was the person to kill me?

"…jika-chan? Najika-chan!" I jumped five feet in the air and turned to see Tsuna, Yamamoto, and Gokudera. "Are you all right?" Tsuna asked worriedly. "You're really out of it today."

I laughed and replied, "Sorry, Tsuna-kun. I just had a long night, you know?"

Gokudera walked up to me and put his arm around my shoulders. "Just be sure to wake up soon, okay? I can't have you being unresponsive today!" his smile was practically dripping into his voice. "After all, we're going out to dinner tonight, remember?"

That's right! He did say something about taking me out tonight. "Yeah, I remember. Don't worry, Gokudera-kun! After all-!"

He slid his hand over my mouth and corrected, "Hayato. You shouldn't have to call me by my last name."

I pulled his hand off of my mouth and smiled. "Okay," I agreed, nodding.

Yamamoto's laugh rang through the air. "If you're going to call Gokudera by his first name, call me 'Takeshi,' Najika!" he laughed happily, slinging his arm around my other shoulder. "After all, we are part of the Family, right?"

As I nodded, Gokudera – Hayato – snapped, "Don't ask my girlfriend to call you by your first name! You two aren't even that close!" I laughed nervously, opting to step by Tsuna as Hayato began to argue with Takeshi. Tsuna laughed a little as well. I looked at him once.

"Race you three to school!" I yelled, taking off. All three of the boys stared at where I was for a moment, then, one by one, ran towards the school.

Of course, Takeshi won. Hayato came in close second, whereas Tsuna and I tied after we stopped running.

Just another peaceful day in Namimori. What we didn't know was how fast that could change.

* * *

><p><strong>Atogaki-<strong>

**Short and fail filled. I hate how it's only around 2,000 words, not even. -goes to cry in her emo corner- But yeah, so I got bored, and felt the need to torture you. No, not really. I just separated this from the previous chapter because the previous chapter addressed Najika's past, and then I did a bit of a time skip to the weekend, so I made a split second decision to split this chapter in two.**

**I don't really know why I wanted to do a Mukuro centric chapter... ****I just felt the need to address Mukuro here. But yeah... I decided on the title because Najika is addressing the truth behind where Mukuro went, and Mukuro finally admits the _real_ reason he's still working with the Mafioso. I honestly cannot tell you why I chose the song. I just heard it and was like... "Oh, it's happy. I feel the need to use it for the Mukuro/Najika chapter." I love Mukuro in this chapter. And there's so much foreshadowing that I died writing this. If you don't get what's going to happen in the next chapter, please don't try and guess. I'm actually looking forward to seeing if you can figure out what's actually the truth in the next Arcs.**

**So yes, this is the end of the filler Arc. Time to move on, to Byakuran and Bluebell, and them crazy biotches.**

**Review please!**


	14. Revelations

**Episode 14 – Revelations  
><strong>"**With arms up… stretched into the sky… With eyes like… echoes in the night… Hiding from the hell that you've been through… Silent one, you go, giving up your home… Go, leaving all you've known…. You are not alone…"  
><strong>**-"Not Alone" by Linkin Park**

* * *

><p>I was walking home with Hayato from the park. We were coming home from a day of skipping school to hang out. When we got to his house, he had received a package. That's when he started to drag me to Tsuna's place. There, we met Haru, and when Hayato told her, "I have something to give Juudaime," they two began to argue.<p>

I sighed resignedly and kept walking. "Gosh, you guys, you'd think you could lay off the arguing for just one day," I muttered, putting my hands in my pockets. Neither of them listened to me. I sighed again and spotted Tsuna, calling out Reborn's name. "Hey, Tsuna-kun!" That's when silence overtook the arguing duo.

Haru ran up to Tsuna and exclaimed, "Did you hear that they're making an underground shopping district under the Namimori station?" I facepalmed. That was what she was so eager to tell him? I was hoping that she'd decided _not_ to stalk the poor guy… "They're holding an event up till today! Let's all go together!" she cheered.

Hayato scoffed. "What a child."

"Haru is a proper lady!" she yelled back.

"What part of you is a lady?" I sighed. They couldn't stop arguing for one minute, could they? "By the way, were you going somewhere, Juudaime?" I looked to Tsuna, who rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

He began, "Well… Reborn hasn't…" Something bad happened, didn't it? Tsuna explained what happened; Reborn and Lambo were arguing again, and Reborn was hit with the 10-Year Bazooka, but no one appeared in his place.

Hayato looked away in thought and asked, "Reborn-san did disappear because of the 10-Year Bazooka, and no one took his place, right?" Tsuna affirmed it, and Hayato explained, "If he didn't come from ten years from now, that means, ten years from now, Reborn-san doesn't exist."

I gaped. "Dead?"

The bomber shook it off. "I don't know, but anyways, let's go look for Reborn-san! We'll go to check the school!" He grabbed my hand and dragged me off.

For hours we looked for the Arcobaleno, but no one came up with anything. I thought to myself, _Something bad is going to happen. No one is going to be safe. If Reborn is gone, what's going to happen?_ I stopped short. _Is this what Mukuro warned me about?_

When we walked back to Tsuna's house, we saw pink smoke coming from the house. Had Tsuna been hit by the 10-Year Bazooka? I didn't think twice about running into the house. "Lambo! What did you do?" I yelled, picking up the now-crying cow.

Lambo only cried, "Tsuna… 10-Year Bazooka!" I gasped. So he had been hit. "Wah!" he wailed, picking up the weapon.

"No, Lambo!" I cried, trying to wrestle it away from him. "Give me the bazooka!"

_**Bang.**_

X Tsunayoshi Sawada X

The twenty-four year old Gokudera had just finished explaining about Shoichi Irie when Tsuna noticed the other coffin at the other end of the clearing. It looked like he was burying someone. "Ne, Gokudera-kun, whose coffin is that?" Tsuna asked, pointing to the dark blue coffin.

The older man stopped short. "That… that's Najika's coffin." Tsuna gasped. Najika… was dead? "She was murdered right in front of me," Gokudera sighed. "She… she betrayed us, Juudaime. She claimed that she didn't mean to, but…" Tsuna could see that his friend was trying hard not to break. "We have a son, you know."

Tsuna smiled at the silver-haired man. "What's his name?"

"Kaito. Kaito Gokudera. I have a picture." He handed Tsuna a picture. It was of an older Najika, whose eyes weren't as glassy as he remembered, with Gokudera and a little boy holding both of their hands. He looked a lot like Gokudera, except for his blue eyes. "He's around four now."

Looking back at the coffin, Tsuna's smile fell. "I'm sorry for your loss. Does Kaito know what happened?"

Gokudera shook his head. "No. Kai has no idea of what happened, or why his mom isn't going to be coming home any time soon."

"Are you angry at her?" Gokudera looked at Tsuna, who's brown eyes peered curiously back at the ten-year-older version of his friend. "I'm serious! Last time she betrayed us, I remember how angry you were at her." The Vongola Boss sighed. "I guess I just don't want your last memory of her to be a bad one."

The older Storm Guardian was about to reply, but the lid of the coffin across the clearing popped off, and a younger Najika sat up, coughing. "God, if that's what it's like to be hit by the 10-Year-Bazooka, I will never let Lambo out with that thing again."

Gokudera stood up sharply, facing the other coffin. "Get out!" he snapped. Najika looked up at him. "Leave, Najika!"

So he was angry with her. "Hayato-kun? What-why? Why do you want me to leave?" She didn't sound angry or upset, only confused. "Did I do something wrong?" she asked.

He didn't reply, only snapped, "Leave Juudaime alone, Najika!" She sat up straighter, looking now extremely hurt. "No one wants you back at the base!"

"Why are you so angry?" she cried. "What did I do wrong?"

As Gokudera was about to answer, a burst of pink smoke erupted, replacing the older Gokudera with the younger one.

_Aw, damn!_

X Najika Kamiya X

So I did something wrong? What did I do? Tsuna was here, and now, so was Hayato. All we had to do was wait five minutes. But Tsuna stood. "It's been well over five minutes since I got here."

Oh, God… we were stuck in the future!

I slipped out of wherever my twenty-four year old self had been and walked up to Tsuna and Hayato, who was going through a briefcase left by the future Hayato. "Did the older Hayato-kun say anything about me? About where I was?"

Tsuna hesitated to answer. "He… he said you guys had a son. His name's Kaito Gokudera." I smiled, but soon frowned. I knew that Tsuna was hiding something. "And… and that you were murdered right in front of him."

So that was a coffin I'd woken up in. I looked down. "I knew it." I looked up. A familiar purple Flame was standing across from us. "Nice to meet you, and goodbye." I gaped. I knew that voice.

"Lal-san!" I cried as she launched an attack at us. "Lal-san, stop! It's me, Najika Kamiya!" The woman stopped. "Lal-san… what? Why are you attacking us?" She didn't get a chance to answer.

I could only watch helplessly as Lal Mirch, my tutor, attacked Tsuna and Hayato with no mercy, only to have Tsuna attack her back. "You're not all bad, Tsunayoshi Sawada."

Everything was going wrong! Tsuna and Lal were fighting each other! Why? I gaped at the battle of Flames. Everything… I stopped as Tsuna whacked Lal in the stomach. "Stop it!" However, Lal wasn't one to give up. She released something that was had a purple Flame, forcing Tsuna to release all of his orange Flames. I ran over to him as he collapsed. "Stop!" I demanded. "He's had enough, I get it."

"He passed, kid. Don't get so upset," she snapped. "As you've probably heard, the name's Lal Mirch. Let's get out of here." She dropped a chain in front of each of us as Hayato was freed from his blue-Flame prison. "Put these chains around your Rings. They seal the power of them."

I immediately did what she said, pulling the chain around the Ring around my neck. She simply told us to follow to "our hideout," but when Tsuna even mentioned that perhaps this time's Reborn was there. "What happened to the Arcobaleno?" I asked quietly.

Her voice wavered, but only so that no one really noticed, as she replied, "Skull, Viper, Colonello… The ultimate infants, the Arcobaleno, all died." My jaw dropped. Wasn't she an Arcobaleno, too? "Of course, Reborn isn't here either."

X Tsunayoshi Sawada X

Their hideout was more than Tsuna expected. Considering they had to keep up with Lal Mirch the entire time, it was well worth it. It didn't seem like Najika had as much trouble as them. Their first night camping out was hard for Tsuna. He'd never done anything like that before, and even though he found mushrooms, they were all lost.

Lal Mirch and Najika had found food, and the former told them what she knew. "I was working with the Vongola's External Advisors Organization." Basil and Dad? "Because of an emergency, I was ordered to find the Juudaime's Family. Vongola HQ was nearly destroyed. There were no survivors found, and the Kyuudaime is missing. A team was sent there immediately, but we lost contact with them."

So their opponent was the Millefiore Family, led by Byakuran.

As the four continued through the woods, they noticed a robot, much like the Varia's Gola Mosca, called the Strau Mosca. With one more Ring that Tsuna had, it found the group easily. Lal was about to buy them some time, but a swordsman came out of nowhere and slashed the Mosca, making it freeze. "Attaco di Squalo. That should buy us a minute." Najika stood first, running up to hug the older version of Takeshi Yamamoto.

She was latched onto him and she exclaimed, "Thank God it's you! I thought we were going to die!"

Yamamoto looked down at her. "Najika?" he asked in shock, pushing the girl away from him. She looked about to cry with happiness. "You… why?" he demanded, his eyes hardening to become fierce. "Why did you sell us out to the Millefiore?"

"What?" she squeaked in surprise. "_I_ sold you out?"

He pushed her away, into Gokudera. "Leave. You're not going to be stepping one foot in that base." She backed up, clutching Gokudera's hand. "I won't hesitate to attack you."

Lal stood in her defense. "Let her come with us for one night. She's harmless without her medication. She has no idea where she's going." Yamamoto finally conceded.

X Najika Kamiya X

I felt numb. Takeshi and Hayato both accused me of doing something, which Takeshi confirmed to be betrayal. All I could do was follow them. My mind had gone into shock. I couldn't think, I could barely breathe.

_Betrayal._

_Why did you sell us out to the Millefiore?_

_No one wants you here!_

No one… wanted me at the base? I turned under the blankets, almost crying. Scratch that. I was crying. I just didn't notice. Lal had given me a pill, that my future self helped to make, which allowed me to see fully, and now, I couldn't sleep.

_I should leave._

I pulled out my cell phone and scrolled through my contacts. Tsuna, Hayato, Takeshi, Hibari (yes, I had Hibari's number; it's a long story), Chrome, and Basil. None of them would be able to help me. Kyoko, Haru, and Fuuta wouldn't be able to help me, either. Bel. Bel may have been able to help me. Before I knew it, I had dialed the number. One ring. Two rings. "What do you want?"

"Bel?" I asked. "It's me, Najika."

He paused. "Who the hell is this? If this is a joke, I don't find it funny at all," he snapped icily. I stopped. Right, I was dead in this time period. "If you don't give me an answer, I'll track you down and make sure to make your death painful."

I bit my lip. "Bel, it's really me. I'm from nine years and ten months ago. I was shot with the 10-Year Bazooka, and we're stuck here. Hayato-kun and Tsuna-kun are with me."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. "Do you know?"

"About my betrayal? Yeah, I do," I replied sadly. "But I'm in a jam right now. Can I ask for your help?"

Bel giggled childishly. "Why of course, Princess. If you can get to Italy safely, feel free to drop by. But…" his voice turned serious, "it's going to be really dangerous. It's a huge _if_ to get to Italy from Japan. You're going to need every ounce of strength you have just to get out of Japan."

I smirked. "No problem. How long do I have?"

"I don't know. Just get out of there before they launch their attack. Now that HQ has fallen, I don't know if you'll even be able to get out yet."

Sighing, I tugged at the ring around my neck. "I understand. I'll get out as soon as I can, Bel. Make sure the way is clear for me?"

He laughed again. "Of course, Princess. We'll all be waiting." A click and then the dial tone. I groaned. Now I had to get to _Italy_. From _Japan_. With all the _airports_ shut down.

The door opened and Lal walked in. "I heard what you're gonna attempt, kid. You may want this." She put a Ring on the table in front of me. It glinted a sea-green. "It was yours in this time," she explained. "Take these, too." She put three boxes down and a bottle of pills. "In this time, you and I kept in touch, along with one of the Arcobaleno, Verde, and these cure your blindness completely, this time, for six hours. You eventually had surgery to cure you, but that would take too long."

I nodded and pocketed the pills. "Do you think I could get that in Italy?"

She hesitated, but nodded. "Yeah, probably."

Picking up one of the boxes and examining them, I asked, "What's up with these?" They were all a sea-green, like the jewel on the Ring.

"You just need to channel your Flames into your Ring, and then put the Ring in the hole to open it. One of these boxes has your twin guns, Ryuu and Michi. The others have your two friends, Frusta, a leopard, and Vento, a hawk." She pulled another from her pocket. "This last one has a weapon you've been working on for a while. Only use it when you're in real big danger."

I nodded again, picking up all of the boxes. "How in the world do I hold these things?"

She pulled another thing from her cloak pocket. "This belt. The boxes strap onto it. Here." She handed it to me. "I'm only trying to keep you alive. It'll be stupid if you don't even get out of Japan. Now, listen closely, 'cause I'm only gonna explain this once. To get out of Japan, you have to get to an old friend and say you know me. You may know him. His name is Hikaru Kobashi."

Hikaru Kobashi… "He was in my class."

She nodded. "He runs the only way out of Japan that's safe. Just be prepared to fight your way out of this country. Millefiore forces are everywhere. I know how to contact you and I'll keep you updated. When you get into Italy, keep a low profile. Act as if you know nothing about the Vongola. Just be sure to get there without fighting too much."

"I understand," I said, standing up to put the belt around my waist. Clipping each box to the belt, I grabbed the blanket on the couch. "I'm going to take this. Do you have an extra cloak?" She nodded and handed me the one she brought in, which looked much like hers. "But… Lal-san…"

She stood. "It's for good luck, kid. You'd better come back in one piece, you hear? Or I swear, I'll kill you myself," Lal snapped. "I gotta go. Good luck." With that, she left, with me staring after her in shock.

A small smile overtook my face. "Thanks."

X Hayato Gokudera X

He pounded on the door again. "Come on, Najika-chan! Wake up!" When she didn't reply, Gokudera pulled open the doors. "Najika-chan! You've had enough time to sleep!"

She wasn't there. Where was she?

Gokudera ran to Juudaime and practically shook him. "She's gone!" Juudaime pulled away from the frantic bomber and asked him what was wrong. "What happened to Najika-chan? She's missing!"

"She's gone." They both turned to see Lal Mirch at the door. "She left last night. You won't be able to find her unless she wants to be found. Don't expect her to come back after she learns what she's done."

Gokudera's eyes narrowed. "What did she do?"

Lal Mirch looked up. "She fed information to Byakuran. She organized the conference that led to the Juudaime's death. She even went as far as leave the base for good. Don't get me wrong; she's not going to the Millefiore base right now. She's going somewhere different."

Everyone froze. She was the reason that Juudaime died?

"Of course, she was tricked. She was tricked by Byakuran, who she was friends with in college," Lal Mirch explained. "Nowadays, she doesn't take lightly to being called a traitor."

So Najika left again.

Juudaime burst out, "But we need all the Guardians!"

The blue-haired woman shrugged. "If she's needed, she'll come."

Gokudera sighed. Back to finding the hidden Cloud Guardian.

X Najika Kamiya X

Finally. I found the hiding spot of Hikaru Kobashi. I walked up to the brown-haired boy and tapped his shoulder. He turned around and smirked. "You're Najika Kamiya. Glad to see you made it here in one piece." His green eyes sparkled mischievously.

I nodded. "So I guess Lal-san told you I was coming."

"Yeah. Let's get moving, huh? Where're you trying to get, Kamiya-chan?" he asked, turning back to the hovercraft he was working on.

Looking down at the machine, I replied, "Italy. And fast."

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><p><strong>Atogaki-<strong>

**Fail. I'm so sorry! I'm now in high school, and I haven't had time to update! -cries- But... yeah, so um... not much to say... Revelations... "Not Alone..." Linkin Park... Yeah, you get it, right? xD Welcome to the Future Arc! Things start to get super weird from here on in. Also, the romance of Gokudera and Najika takes a backseat in this Arc, but they still have their fluffy moments. Honestly, there's going to be a lot of Bel/Najika, Fran/Najika, and Basil/Najika. There might be a little bit of Byakuran/Najika somewhere mixed in there...**

**Well, as for the surgery for blindness, I can honestly say that I had fun messing with Najika and having her not be able to see. But now, it's getting rather tedious, and I don't think that you guys would like to have me describing the colors of Flames the entire time... So I fixed that up, too!**

**I'm just that messed up! So leave a review, or the euro-smiley-marshmallow-raping-mega-super-villian will kill youuu~**

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><p><strong>Character Introductions:<strong>

**TYL! Lal Mirch, age unknown. She is still as "Spartan" as ever, but seems to care more about the Vongola than she used to. She also still cares for Najika.**

**TYL! Hayato Gokudera, age 24. The current Storm Guardian of the Vongola who recently lost his wife and boss, and now has to raise his son on his own.**

**TYL! Takeshi Yamamoto, age 24. The current Rain Guardian of the Vongola who recently lost his father, Tsuyoshi, and his close friend, Tsuna.**

**TYL! Belphegor, age 26. The current Storm Guardian of the Varia, and as loyal (yeah... let's go with that) to Najika as his past self was.**

**TYL! Hikaru Kobashi, age 24. A former classmate of the Vongola, and now a mechanic/scientist who worked under Verde, the Thunder Arcobaleno.**


	15. Control for the Weak

**Episode 15: Control for the Weak  
><strong>"**Do you need me, like I need you? Or am I standing still, beneath the darkened sky? Or am I standing still, with the scenery flying by? Or am I standing still, out of the corner of my eye? Was that you passing me by?"  
><strong>**-"Standing Still" by Jewel**

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><p>Two weeks. Two damn weeks. That's how fucking long it took to get to Italy. Granted, it was due to being found by a few of the Millefiore Officers, but I managed to light my Vongola Ring and my newer Ring to open the boxes.<p>

Frusta and Vento were both really cool. Frusta, the leopard, had this special ability to elongate his claws and rip something in half without even trying. The hawk, Vento, flapped his wings and created a barrier, as well as use its wings as scythes. I myself used my twin guns, Michi and Ryuu, who were two bearded dragons that turned into guns.

We got stronger along the way, and Hikaru did, too.

Hikaru was a Cloud user, like Hibari. We nicked a box weapon off of one of the officers, which turned out to be a python that could wrap around anyone and suck their Flames away.

X Hayato Gokudera X

Over the next two weeks, they trained and fought. But the biggest shock for Gokudera was meeting that boy. The boy with the shining silver hair and bright blue eyes. His future son, Kaito Gokudera.

"Aniki!" the boy cheered. "Let's go play!"

Gokudera pulled away from Kaito's hold. "Sorry, Kaito, I can't right now. I have to go find the demon tutor." Kaito's face fell a little. "I'll play with you after dinner, okay?" The four-year-old boy cheered up immediately, nodding and running off.

That boy was supposedly his and Najika's. Why did he feel like he didn't know him?

X Najika Kamiya X

We reached the door of the Varia castle, right where Bel said it'd be. I turned to Hikaru. "Come on. We're going in." My companion nodded, clenching his fists. "Don't worry. They're harmless." I smirked and knocked on the door three times, a code that Bel told me to use.

The metal doors slid open and a tall blonde stood in the doorway. "You made it." He laughed a little, slinging his arm around me like he used to. "I knew it." He noticed Hikaru. "So you're Hikaru." The brunette nodded stiffly, uttering a small 'yes.' "You brought her here safely~"

"Yeah," Hikaru confirmed. "Um… I have nowhere to go, and if I go back to Japan, I'm gonna get caught. Can I stay here?"

Bel laughed darkly. "You could be a Millefiore representative for all I know. But…" He looked up from where I was under his arm. "You brought the Princess of Varia to us~ If you make any move at all, you're dead." He laughed again, making a cutting motion with his hands.

Hikaru noticeably flinched. "Stop scaring him, Bel, and tell me what the hell happened in these past ten years," I demanded, giving him a stern look. "And let's get going inside. Those Millefiore bastards can come at anytime."

The Varia assassin nodded. "Well, let's get in, shall we~" He led us both through the halls, where I saw everyone gaping at me. "Don't mind them, Princess. They're only rookies who heard rumors about you."

I looked up at him curiously. "What rumors?"

Bel thought for a bit. "Well, for one thing, you're the one who helped to fix relations between the Juudaime and Boss. You also were the one who's in charge of us in the Headquarters. You put in good words for us and stuff, you know?" He chuckled a bit. "You're a legend here, since you've got the complete trust and respect of me and the rest of those dirty bastards."

I scoffed. "Those 'dirty bastards' are your teammates, Bel. Show some respect." He shrugged. "You're hopeless."

"I know~" He motioned to one of the lower ranking officers. "You. Take care of him," he motioned towards Hikaru, "and make sure you don't mess up, or I'll kill you." Things were still the same as ever.

The scared officer nodded weakly. "F-follow me, sir," he squeaked. Hikaru raised an eyebrow, but nodded, following the black-coated boy.

The blonde Storm Guardian smirked. "I love rookies. Now, come on, Princess. Boss has been expecting you." He led me up the stairs to the most embellished doors in the entire place. He knocked on the doors and called, "Boss, the Princess is here~ I'm coming in~"

Xanxus sat there in his throne. "Girl. I've already been informed of your situation. As much as I hate Sawada, I hate owing you even more. You can stay as long as you need."

I nodded. "Thank you very much, Xanxus-san. I guess I owe you now." He scoffed and looked away.

"I… owe you my life. This isn't enough to repay that… debt yet." Bel chuckled at his Boss's words, earning him a glass thrown at him. "Shut up, trash," the Boss grumbled. "Get out."

Bel bowed mockingly. "The rest of them are waiting for you, Princess~" He grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room. "Hey~ Guess who's here~" He called, dragging me down the stairs.

A familiar voice yelled, "Voi! Shut the hell up, you bastard! I'm trying to eat!" The long-haired Rain swordsman, Superbi Squalo, emerged from the kitchen. "Eh? Is that… Najika?" He blinked a few times in surprise. "Voi! I thought you were dead, Onda!"

"Onda-chan's here?" a high-pitched voice rang. "She's still alive!" The Sun marital artist, Lussuria, bounded down the stairs and swept me in his arms. "So cute~"

A low voice grumbled, "Shut up. Great, she's back. Whoopee." Well, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed… Of course, it was the Thunder Guardian, Leviathan. "Welcome back. You look like a midget."

"Don't be so mean to Onda-sama," someone snapped in a monotone (Is that even possible?). A young boy around sixteen stood behind Levi. He had green hair and green eyes, with a giant frog hat on. "You don't know me, do you."

I shook my head. "Sorry, no."

He shrugged. "My name's Fran. It's good to see you again, Onda-sama." I shook his hand. "I'm the new Mist Guardian." That's right… Mammon was one of the Arcobaleno, and he died. "You know, you were actually the one to get me this position, Onda-sama."

Turning to Bel, I asked, "I did?" He nodded. "Well, I'm glad! It's nice to know I did something for someone. But why are you wearing a frog hat?"

The Storm Guardian laughed. "Because I made him~"

"Shut up, senpai. There's days when I think you're a bigger idiot than Levi," Fran shot back. I giggled.

Both Bel and Fran turned to me. "What's so funny?" Bel demanded.

I laughed again. "He reminds me of you when around ten years ago, Bel. I like him already!" Fran sent a victorious smirk at Bel, who pouted. "Of course, I like you, too, Bel." As I reached over to pat Bel on the back, he hugged me and pouted again.

"Can you stay with me?" I looked at him incredulously. "Please~ You died in this time, and I won't get to stay with you~" I sighed. Of course…

I gently pulled his arms from around me. "Fine, Bel. But no more pouting, okay?" I told him, turning to face him. Bel laughed and only proceeded to squeeze me harder. "Bel… let go!" I managed.

Fran simply smacked Bel's head and the Prince dropped me. "What the hell, Fran!" Bel roared angrily. "That's it, you're dead, damn it!" Fran simply stood there as Bel drew his knives out and tossed them at the teen. I sighed. Typical.

"I'm going back up to speak to Xanxus-san now," I sighed, rushing up the stairs and into Xanxus's room. "Xanxus-san."

He looked up, then back down and snapped, "Drop the formalities. We're not in Japan."

I chuckled. "Well, then, Xanxus. I noticed you still don't have a Cloud Guardian to replace Gola Mosca." He scoffed and looked towards the window. "I came here from Japan with someone named Hikaru Kobashi. He's a Cloud attribute fighter, and he's powerful, too."

Xanxus simply asked, "Does he know how to survive in this world?"

"He's saved my life at least five times already," I replied. "His box weapon is pretty deadly. He's still a bit of a rookie, but he's murdered more people on the way from Japan than I've fought in my short few weeks as a Mafioso."

Taking a sip of his drink, the Sky Boss seemed to think it over. "Fine. Bring him in," he ordered.

X Hayato Gokudera X

All of the Guardians were found, save for Najika, who was still missing. The future Hibari confirmed that the future Najika had indeed betrayed them, but he didn't seem to blame her. "She'd been tricked by Byakuran," he deadpanned. "She shouldn't have been blamed for it, though. Najika Kamiya wasn't a mole or a traitor."

Too bad for them that the future Hibari hadn't told them anything else before he was sent into the past, only to be replaced by the Hibari that Gokudera knew. They'd all been training for weeks for this.

It was time to strike the Millefiore where it hurt.

X Najika Kamiya X

Lal updated me with pictures and untraceable mail whenever she could. All of my friends were trying their best. I smiled a little at the writing that said they were going to strike the Millefiore's base. They really were going at their enemy.

Over the past few weeks, I'd been training hard to help the Varia. Everyone had been great. Maybe even assassins had hearts. Levi was still as gruff as ever, but he seemed to care enough. Lussuria was always trying to encourage me. He was also the one who chose my new… "battle outfit," as he called it. Fran was great. He was so sweet, but really tough. Bel was the same as ten years ago, still as understanding, but he was more open with it. Still as bipolar as ever. Squalo was usually my sparring partner, and he was even stronger than I remembered. Xanxus was the same, too, but he seemed more tolerant of me than before.

I also had gotten the surgery that Lal told me about before I left. I could see again. My eyes were still purple, but now, I could actually see, even though I retained the ability to see Flames like before.

I looked up. Today was it. We were going to be fighting the Millefiore on their turf today. Hitting home base, as some would put it.

That night, we all stood at the wall of the castle. "It's about time for us to get started!" Squalo declared, somewhat happily. I smirked as Bel giggled.

It was pointless. It only took the seven of us, including the newest addition to the Varia, Hikaru Kobashi, to kick the crap out of all of those Millefiore operatives. I was with Hikaru, Bel was with Fran, Squalo was on his own, and the last team was Levi and Lussuria. Looking back on it, it was probably the most fun I had in a long time, considering I could _see_ my fights.

Hikaru and I were heading to the west, Bel and Fran were going east, and Squalo took the north. I smirked, taking out Michi and Ryuu. Those two were like my greatest allies as of now.

Hikaru and I were probably more of the suited pair for this mission. Our teamwork was pretty good, if I do say so myself. As for Bel and Fran, I worried that they would end up murdering each other before the mission was over. I also worried for Squalo, as Xanxus would probably end up complaining about something while he was on his mission.

It'd been around three minutes in, and I was bored. "Hikaru, I'm gonna go shake things up a little. You go on ahead. I'm gonna take as many of these jokers out as possible. Besides, if all of his subordinates are killed, don't you think the boss will come out?" I mused.

Hikaru shrugged. "Do what you want, I'm not gonna stop you." I sighed and ignited my Wave Flame, opening Vento's box. "Well, then I guess Monty's coming out, too." Yeah, he named his box weapon Monty. I guess it was supposed to be funny, as in, Monty Python, but it ended up being stupid. His Cloud Ring lit up and he let out the giant snake.

Two huge groups of Flames in the distance caught my eyes. "Heads up. They're coming from both left and right," I warned. Vento landed on my arm. "Let's burn off some energy, huh?" I asked my hawk. He chirped happily in response.

"You take left, I'll take right?" Hikaru asked. I nodded.

It took us both two minutes, as we both had our box weapons and our own weapons. I had Ryuu and Michi, my twin guns, and Hikaru used a collapsible staff with spearheads on each side. Both of my lizards were put back in their box when I was done. "You finished?"

The Cloud user nodded. "Yeah, but there's still no sign of the boss, is there?"

"Eh, he's probably going after either Squalo or Bel. What's the point of going after us two, right?" I laughed. "Neither of those groups are going to be losing anytime soon. Let's just keep going towards the end of the forest."

He was about to follow, but turned back immediately. "The boss is going after Belphegor and Fran. Let's go." I learned early on that Hikaru had great senses. He knew what happened to all of our teammates. That's how he was able to keep helping me.

As we kept rushing towards Bel and Fran, we found ourselves surrounded by a group of Millefiore soldiers that just kept getting bigger. We had to release all the box weapons we had. Frusta and Vento, my two weapons, and Monty and Liberty, a bald eagle, who were both Hikaru's weapons, were all fighting the best they could. I shot several down at once, while my partner kept swinging his staff, knocking down a whole lot of those soldiers.

When we finally got around to defeating all of them, I noticed that there were a group of three box weapons heading towards the castle. I gasped. Lussuria… and Xanxus… My eyes widened, then I smirked. No way that Xanxus would die that easily. Especially since his dinner was interrupted.

I exchanged a look with Hikaru, who nodded. We pulled Frusta and Monty back, running towards the castle with Vento and Liberty. Damn, was Xanxus gonna be pissed that someone went off and destroyed the castle while he was eating. He'd want someone to fix it…

And of course, he usually expected that someone to be Squalo, or one of his stupid subordinates. As well as they meant, all of those subordinates were, to put it lightly, complete morons. I groaned. He probably didn't even eat yet, knowing the hissy fits he throws before every meal.

I was also really worried about Lussuria. I don't think he got out of the castle in time. If he was dead, then damn it, I'd revive him and kill him myself! Stupid… Lussuria really was like my older sister than anything. All I could do was fight off those stupid subordinates and hope that he was alive.

One last shot was fired as the last one fell. "Well that was a complete waste of time," I complained, pocketing my guns again. "I really wanted to fight that bastard!"

"Ever since you got that surgery, all you've wanted to do is fight," Hikaru commented dryly. I rolled my eyes. "By the way… When you go back to the past, do me a favor, okay? Make friends with my younger self."

I raised one eyebrow. "Do you think I wouldn't? You're a great person now, and I hope that you'll be a good friend to me in the past."

He chuckled. "Hey, I would've talked to you, but your boyfriend, Hayato Gokudera, scares the shit out of me. He's a creepy guy, you know?" I laughed a little. "You and Sawada-kun both. Once you guys started hanging out with Gokudera-kun and Yamamoto-kun, it was like you were untouchable, even though Sawada-kun proceeded to stay weird."

"Hey, he's a Mafia boss. He's untouchable anyways," I joked. "By the way, don't mention his name around Xanxus. He'll kill you in an instant."

Hikaru chuckled again, but then asked, "What happened to your transmitter?" I felt around my ear for it, but my transmitter was gone. "Hang on. If you don't have yours, I should radio in to Squalo-!" He cut himself off when he realized that his was gone as well.

I sighed. "Well, isn't that wonderful…"

"Sorry," he apologized quietly. "I guess we should go find Squalo, then, right?"

Looking up, I saw the great orange flare light the sky. "Nope. It's over anyways. Xanxus probably turned that crazy bastard to stone. Judging by that huge-ass Flame, he even went all out and blasted him. Let's go back to the castle."

Of course, we were the last ones there. I saw Levi and Lussuria, Bel and Fran, and Squalo and Xanxus, the latter with his Liger lying lazily at his feet. I smirked and laughed dryly. This time was fun, but this was only one of the battles in the entire war.

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><p><strong>Title - Basically inspired by the entirety of how Najika feels throughout the entire Melone Base Arc, even though she's not in the fight.<br>****Song - Standing Still, because of the line that says "Was that you passing me by?" which, for me, refers to how Najika feels like she's been left behind, seeing as how they all feel like she's betrayed them to run to Byakuran.**

**Anyways, all I can say is that I'm really sorry for not updating for... two months? Dx School and homework and life in general got in my way. Plus I took a break for NaNoWriMo, which I entered Reckoning in. I lost though. x3 Oh well, I wouldn't have had it done anyways. Also, since I have finished this "novel," I am going to take a break from updating for a short while, and I'll have a Christmas one-shot for you guys, which will be a preview of my "next" story, which is undecided, but I'll just pick a random one. ;P**

**Well, hope you enjoyed!**

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><p><strong>Character Introductions:<strong>

**TYL! Superbi Squalo, age 32. Still the Varia's Rain Guardian. His hair is still as long as ever, perhaps longer, and he's still screaming when he speaks.**

**TYL! Xanxus, age 34. Still the head of the Varia, the Sky Guardian. He still holds a hatred for Tsunayoshi Sawada after his horrible defeat in the Sky Match.**

**TYL! Fran, age 16. The new Mist Guardian after Mammon's death. He's sarcastic and speaks in a monotone, but is devoted to the Varia.**

**TYL! Leviathan, age 33. ****Still the Varia's Thunder Guardian, and still as "devoted," or obsessed, with pleasing his boss, Xanxus.**

**Kaito Gokudera, age 4. The son of Hayato Gokudera and Najika Kamiya in the future, and the holder of a Rain Flame and **

**TYL! Spanner, age 24. Once part of the Millefiore, and the creator of the Strau Mosca, but eventually sides with the Vonola for his love of technology.**

**TYL! Shoichi Irie, age 25. Formerly the Millefiore's Sun Funeral Wreath, and later, the Vongola's biggest ally in terms of knowledge about the Millefiore.**

**TYL! Kyoya Hibari, age 26. The current Vongola Cloud Guardian who was traveling with Tetsuya Kusakabe and his loyal pet, Hibird.**


	16. Battling the Future

**Episode 16: Battling the Future  
><strong>"**Drink the poison lightly, 'cause there are deeper and darker things than you, I know, 'cause I've been there, too… I know it must be frightening to have the world fall apart right under your shoes; trust me… You'll make it through…"  
><strong>**-"I'm Not the One" by 3OH!3**

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><p>It was around an hour after the battle. It was still as boring as ever. No more battles were coming for us. All I could do was lounge around and train more with Frusta and Vento. I sighed and spun the box lazily.<p>

"I'm bored!" I complained loudly, leaning back on the rock. Bel and Fran were chasing each other again, Hikaru was off trying to gather more Rings from the bodies, as my future self's Ring shattered in the past week, Xanxus was being lazy, Lussuria was tending to the injured, and Squalo and Levi were sparring after some pointless argument.. It was then that my cell phone rang. "Hello?"

"Hey, kid." Lal? She sounded really weak "We need you back. You have to help Sawada. You have to face the Arcobaleno with the rest of them." My eyes widened. "We only need you for around a week. No big deal."

I sighed. "I'll go ask Xanxus. Call me back in ten." Hanging up, I waltzed past the entirety of the Varia, right up to Xanxus's throne. "Xanxus, I have a request."

"What do you want," he demanded.

Trying to be subtle, I simply said, "I just need a few days off… See, Vongola is having a bit of a tough time with something, and I need to go help them." He shrugged. "So… is that a yes?"

He shrugged again. "Do what you want." I smiled and practically ran from him, towards the clearing, where our transport was.

When I passed Hikaru, he stopped me. "Hey, you're going back to Japan, right?" I nodded. "Well, good luck, Najika. You're gonna need it, since Japan is seriously under attack right now. Fortunately, you'll have Sawada-kun and Gokudera-kun to help you, right?" He smiled as I nodded happily, smiling up at him. "And it took me a while, but I finally finished it. Here," he said happily, holding out something small and green.

What he handed me was another box. "A box weapon?" I asked skeptically.

He shook his head. "Nope. Well, yeah, but it's a transport system. Open it." When I opened the box, I managed to pull out what looked like a snowboard, only smaller. "It's powered by Flames, and it's super fast. It'll get you to Japan in a day!"

A huge smile planted itself on my face. "Thank you, thank you, thank you! Hikaru, you are the absolute best. Thanks so much!" I hugged him again as I ran. "See you in a few!"

As soon as I got to the clearing, I pulled out the Flame-board and took off.

_Tsuna-kun, Hayato-kun… I'm coming._

X Tsunayoshi Sawada X

All of them were sitting in the living room, save for Hibari, who was on his own again, and Gokudera, who was getting drinks. They were waiting on the one person who wasn't with them yet. Najika Kamiya, the Wave Guardian.

The door slammed open. "What's all this about facing the fucking Arcobaleno!" a voice demanded. Najika Kamiya stormed in and stood over Tsuna, her coat tucked under her arm. Tsuna noticed the Varia's logo on the jacket. "You, Tsunayoshi Sawada, are so much trouble! Can you keep yourself out of battle for one minute?"

"Najika-chan!" Tsuna exclaimed happily. "You're okay, you're safe!" He reached up and hugged her tightly. "Why did you even leave? It wasn't like we didn't want you around…"

She pulled away. "You're not mad?"

Tsuna smiled even wider. "I'm a little bit upset that you left, but I'm not mad at you for what happened in the past."

She sighed. "Well, I come back and learn that we beat a Funeral Wreath only for you to find an ally in the enemy. God, what is this world coming to?" she complained. "I'm just glad you guys are okay." She gazed around. "Eh? Was everyone pulled into the future?"

He sighed. "Yeah… Yeah, we all were." Then he noticed her bandaged arm. "What happened to you?" he cried, grabbing her arm and inspecting it. He noticed in horror that red liquid was leaking through the white bandages. It looked bad.

The brunette looked down and then laughed. "This is nothing. It was just the result of training the newbies. It's not a huge deal. I mean, it's not like I died…" She smirked a bit and proceeded to change the subject. "So, you all won? It's good do hear that you're doing okay."

Onii-san looked closer. "Your eyes look extremely clear!" She smiled.

"You noticed? I had a bit of surgery done. I'm not blind anymore. Judging by the voice, you're Ryohei Sasagawa. Nice to finally see you." She turned back to Tsuna and said, "By the way, the Varia have succeeded in taking the castle. The Funeral Wreath, Siel, has been eliminated by Xanxus."

Tsuna cried, "Eliminated? As in, dead?"

She shrugged. "What do you expect from an assassination squad?" She laughed as Tsuna began to cower in terror at the now-trained assassin. "Hey, I didn't kill him. He was simply… disassembled, to put it lightly. Sorry for not telling you I was leaving, Tsuna-kun. I just didn't want you to worry."

The Vongola Boss waved her off. "Not a problem, Najika-chan."

She laughed and replied, "Well, I should also tell you that I was assigned to a mission with Fran. I'm going back to the Varia Castle as soon as we return."

"So you finally came back, and you're gonna run off again?" Gokudera's voice asked. Everyone turned to see the bomber standing at the door with a tray of tea in hand. "Najika, you have no idea how worried I was about you." He shoved the tray into Yamamoto's hands and quickly hugged her. "You idiot."

She pulled away quickly. "Sorry, Hayato-kun. I was just trying to find out what the hell happened in this time period. In Italy, things aren't any better. I couldn't get anywhere without having to bring out my box weapons. Even Bel had to fight." She pursed her lips. "This sucks."

Gokudera grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her, right in front of everyone. Yamamoto looked away politely, Kyoko and Haru squealed, and Chrome smiled widely. Tsuna's jaw dropped as Gokudera pulled away. Najika's face turned a bright red. "I…I told you that I missed you…" he stuttered quietly and looked away from her.

Najika's tough exterior she was trying to keep up fell and she hugged the Storm Guardian tightly. "Is it too late to say how much I missed you?" He shook his head and hugged her tightly.

Tsuna smiled. His Family was back.

X Najika Kamiya X

Lal asked, "How'd you get here so quick?"

I opened the box and pulled out Chiarore, my Flame-board. "I made a friend in the Varia who helped me out. He knew I was going to come here, and he gave me this to get home."

"It's Hikaru Kobashi, right?" my tutor asked sharply. I nodded. "I knew it. He's the only one who can create stuff like that anymore."

Laughing, I replied, "He's a hell of a Flame user, too!" I looked around the room. "Your Flames are all so much stronger… how often have you been fighting?"

The Arcobaleno sighed. "Too often."

I laughed again. "I'm guessing Hayato-kun was being a total pain in the ass when he was injured, right?" I saw my boyfriend's face turn red and he sputtered nonsense as he looked around at his laughing friends. "It's good to finally be able to see your faces."

Tsuna laughed and smiled, but it soon slid off his face. "I can't make you do this, but if you'd face the Arcobaleno with us, then it'd mean a lot to me."

Lal sent a glare at Tsuna. I simply shook my head and replied, "Don't be stupid, Tsuna-kun. You can't get back without me. You need everyone who's brought back ten years, right?" He nodded. "But wait. What if we're not the only one's who've been brought back? After all, if there are that many hidden Vongola Bases, who's to say that we don't have more people in the other countries?

Reborn finally cut in, explaining, "There's a monitor of the entire world on the screen in the security room. If the 10-Year Bazooka goes off anywhere, it'll show up there."

"That's good. I'm worried about the people in Namimori." I crossed my arms and leaned against the doors. "I know that Hana Kurokawa is still alive and does know, to some extent, about the Mafia. Now, Hikaru Kobashi and the entire Varia has been pulled in. The CEDEF, namely Basil, has connections in this world, too."

Everyone's jaws dropped. "How do you know so much?" Takeshi asked.

I smirked a little and looked down at the box weapons at my side. "Being in Italy for three months has its positive sides." Reborn seemed to smirk, too. "Let's do this then. We're going to the past, right?"

As everyone walked out, I stayed with Lal. "You wanted to ask me something, kid?"

I nodded. "Yeah. What's with this 7^3 that I've heard about? All I know is that there's seven Vongola Rings, seven Mare Rings, and seven Arcobaleno Pacifiers, but I'm the eighth Vongola Ring. Where do I fit in?"

She shrugged and replied, "Dunno, kid. Maybe it's just because you hold more power than most of them by yourself."

"It's science, Lal, not strength or power," I stated flatly, walking out. "We'll be back in a few."

X Hayato Gokudera X

When they were finally back at the base to go into the past, Gokudera noticed that Hibari had already gotten there. "You're late, herbivores," he deadpanned. Najika let out a small laugh.

"I see Hibari-kun hasn't changed at all," she mused from Gokudera's side. "But we should probably get going." She checked that she had her boxes and Ring.

Shoichi Irie walked up to her and smiled a little. "Nice to see you again, Najika-chan." She looked up at him and her eyes widened. "I see you recognize me. I was a year above you in school."

She nodded. "Your Flame isn't as weak anymore," she pointed out bluntly.

The redhead nodded sheepishly. "Perhaps I should explain for the people who weren't here, as well as give some new information. Like the fact that even though you've been here for a few months, only three days passed. I just want you to say that you went on a picnic and got lost. Cover up for your disappearance." Everyone nodded at that. "The Arcobaleno Trials will last for one week. If you don't complete the Trials within a week, everything will fall apart, and we lose all hope of defeating Byakuran-sama."

That was when Kyoko and Haru walked in. "Is everyone prepared?" Everyone nodded when Juudaime looked at them. Even Yamamoto, who knew his father was going to die.

Spanner typed some things into the computer and everyone began to glow, sending them back ten years.

When Gokudera opened his eyes, he was walking out of a shopping district. Hibari immediately walked off, and Chrome was missing. It was then that Gokudera noticed a sign reading "Namimori's underground Shopping Centre; parking lot entrance construction site." That would be where the Melone Base was in the future.

Proof that they'd gone back.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm a horrible person. Yeah, there's another short chapter, after a long wait. :P I'm just that amazing.<strong>

**Onto better subjects; 15 chapters of this story are up, so I'm going to start focusing on another story. There's a poll going up soon. :)**

**Here's the choices! First to seven votes wins!**

**Anyways, 15 chapters of Rainbow Shooter are up, and now, I am going to put up another poll on which story you'd like me to work on the most now. I've been working with one-shots most of the time so I don't know where my inspiration will strike next. I can't guarantee that the story you choose will be my main one, but I will try. :)**

**Choices:  
>-07-Ghost<br>-Air Gear  
>-Bakuman<br>-Black Butler (Kuroshitsuji)  
><strong>**-Bleach  
>-Blue Exorcist (Ao no Exorcist)-Darker than Black<br>-Death Note  
>-Durarara!<br>-Fairy Tail  
>-Fullmetal Alchemist-Haruhi Suzumiya<br>-Hetalia: Axis Powers  
>-InuYasha<br>-Naruto  
>-One Piece<br>-Prince of Tennis  
>-Tokyo Majin<br>-Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle  
>-Uragiri wa Boku no Namae wo Shitteiru<br>-Uta no Prince-sama  
>-Vampire Knight<strong>

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><p><strong>New Characters:<strong>

**Shoichi Irie, age 15. He is a year older than Najika and Tsunayoshi, but does appear to have knowledge of the Mafia. He has had an "encounter" with Lambo once before.**

**Hikaru Kobashi, age 14. He is the future Varia Cloud Guardian, but at the moment, he's simply a student and a classmate of the Vongola Boss, who adores mechanics and biology.**


	17. Leaving Your Home

**Episode 17: Leaving Your Home  
>"The miles are getting longer, it seems, the closer I get to you. I've not always been the best man or friend for you, but your love it makes true, and I don't know why… You always seem to give me another try…"<br>-"Home" by Daughtry**

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><p>One by one, everyone left to go home, like it was any other day to go home from school together. It'd been three months that they'd been together, and for everyone to leave, it was kind of depressing. I simply watched as everyone returned. I had decided that it was better to stay with Hayato than go back to Ken and Chikusa.<p>

I walked around the streets calmly as I finally got to see Namimori. Everything was bright and colorful. It was then I noticed a familiar head of red hair. Shoichi Irie. My eyes widened and I walked up to the boy. "Hey." He took one look at me and froze. "You're Shoichi Irie, right?"

He nodded. "Y-Yeah…"

"I've seen you around my friend Tsuna-kun's place, right? You're a year older than I am, right?" He nodded again and I had to laugh. "I'm not going to kill you, you know. Just calm down."

Shoichi took a deep breath and sighed. "Sorry about that. I'm just really nervous."

I smiled a little bit. "Well, no need to be. My name's Najika Kamiya." He nodded. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Shoichi-kun. I should be going, since Hayato-kun's probably back from Tsuna-kun's."

So that was the boy that would grow to be the Vongola's first big enemy in Japan, and our greatest ally we could ask for. As I was walking back, I remembered a few other people that I knew in the future. Hikaru, Bel, Fran, and Mukuro. The last one, I wasn't even sure was alive in ten years.

The week proceeded to start off normally. We walked to school like any other day, meeting up with Yamamoto, Tsuna, Kyoko, Ryohei and Haru on the way.

I had all of my box weapons hidden under my sweater and I had my Ring around my neck. I looked up as we were going into school to see Hibari looking down on us. I smiled and waved up to him.

Inside the classroom, I "accidentally" bumped into Hikaru, who really looked the same, only shorter than his future self, and dropped my books. "I'm so sorry!" I apologized, leaning to pick them all up.

"No, I wasn't watching where I was going," he replied, bending down to help pick up all of the scattered papers. "You're Hayato Gokudera's girlfriend…"

I smiled weakly and nodded. "Najika Kamiya, nice to meet you. You're Hikaru Kobashi, right?"

He nodded and handed me the papers. "Yeah." After he helped me up, he said, "You can just call me Hikaru."

Laughing, I smiled brightly. "Okay, Hikaru-kun. Call me Najika, then, okay?" He nodded again and then the bell rang. "Oh, looks like class is gonna start soon. Why don't you eat lunch with the rest of us?"

He smiled weakly. "Sure, Najika-chan."

Class started, and two new students walked in. The teacher announced, "I know this is short notice, but we have two transfer students joining our class today. Please introduce yourselves." One, who was shorter, was a boy named Monta Hariyama, and the other was a girl named Himeko Hariyama.

My first thought of Himeko? _Bitch._ Why? She flirted with Hayato right off the bat. I felt my insides churn and I glared out the window. _Major bitch._ Thank God he didn't look interested in the least.

During lunch, I pulled Hikaru over to Hayato and introduced them. I decided to hang out with Hikaru, and he immediately asked, "Are you sure that Gokudera-kun won't mind?" I shook my head and was about to reply, but my phone beeped three times.

**_S7S! Rooftop._**

I ran outside to see Lal facing off against Tsuna. I giggled. Same old Lal. But When I got up there, another familiar voice shouted, "I'm your opponent, hey!" I looked up to see Colonello, holding the Rain Pacifier.

The blonde baby dropped down and Lal and Colonello immediately started to fight each other. I sighed. Those two really didn't get along, did they? I walked forward to hear Lal order, "Come to Mount Namimori after school."

After school… Oh well. I guess my homework would have to wait. I sighed and moved to put a hand on Hayato's shoulder. He looked over to me and grabbed my hand. "We're going to win pass these trials with no problem. You know that, right?" I assured him, wrapping my other arm around his chest from behind.

"Yeah," he agreed, nodding.

As you could probably guess, school wasn't exactly our first priority the rest of the day. I was busy trying to predict what our trial was going to be. Colonello was an arms expert, good with guns and combat. That was probably going to be our trial, to defeat each other or him.

The school bell rang, and I don't think I could've gotten out of there sooner. I shoved all of my books into my bag and followed Hayato, Takeshi, and Tsuna out of the classroom, my hand attached to Hayato's. We met Ryohei on the way out of the school, and I mused, "Does anyone else think we're going to have to fight in this trial?" Everyone agreed, and the rest of the walk was silent.

Mount Namimori was huge. It was pretty insane, especially if we were going to be fighting. "Oh, this brings back memories," Ryohei exclaimed. "I trained with Master Colonello here when we fought the Varia."

Takeshi looked around and replied, "You sure trained in a crazy place."

Losing his temper, Hayato snapped, "Why are you people so laidback?! We have to clear this trial!" I sighed. As much as I didn't want to admit it, this trial was going to be important. If we failed one trial, we lost the entire thing.

Colonello called, "I've been waiting, hey!" He jumped down from where he was atop the highest part of the mountain. "Like I said at school, my trial will test your combat abilities." He said that? Huh… "You pass if you can take this badge away from me while fighting, hey." The badge was a little black button on his bandana. I gulped. This was going to be tough.

"Colonello's trial will be given to the holder of the Sky Ring and one Guardian," Lal explained. She and Reborn were up on another cliff above us. So only Tsuna and one of us would be fighting. Colonello chose Hayato to help Tsuna win, but I wasn't sure that they'd win that easily.

I could understand why Hayato was chosen as I walked up the cliff with Takeshi and Ryohei. Storms were vicious when they wanted to be. They could attack at any moment, and that's why Colonello chose the Storm to work with the Sky. I bit my lip and sat down next to Lal. She acknowledged my presence with a curt nod and I focused on the battle that was about to start. Hayato and Tsuna were facing Colonello, who called, "I'm ready, hey!" My fists clenched and I gritted my teeth.

Hayato made his move first. He opened his box weapon and pulled out a gun that attached to his arm. I could see the gray Flames leaking from the weapon as he rushed forward, not waiting when Tsuna called him. His charge was stopped before it even began as Colonello's shot blasted Hayato back and then tossed a net on him. The Storm Guardian quickly blasted the net away, but when he resumed his charge, ropes shot out of the ground, wrapping around his arms and legs. His movement was restricted and his weapon rendered useless.

"Shit!" he cursed loudly. My nails were digging into my palms at this point.

A group of arrows were shooting towards Hayato when I looked back. I gaped at him. Colonello was definitely aiming to kill. A burst of fire slammed the arrows back into the ground and cut the ropes away from Hayato. Tsuna… I smiled a little. Maybe, just maybe, they'd be okay.

Yeah, that didn't really happen. The only thing that kept Tsuna from being the next one fried was Gokudera's sense of smell, which, I had to admit, was pretty impressive. He was able to smell the gunpowder in the boulder that flew at them, and warned his boss just in time. One second later, and Tsuna would've gone boom along with the rock. I sighed in relief. This was really going to be tough at this point. Colonello was really going to kill them if they didn't step up to the plate.

In fury, and hope of winning, Hayato flung eight of his Rocket Bombs at Colonello and prepared to hit him with his box weapon. Colonello's response? Destruction. He yelled, "Maximum Burst!" A blue Flame shaped like a bird flew out of his gun and destroyed all of the Rocket Bombs. Hayato didn't even respond when it dove into the ground and created a chasm that threatened to swallow Hayato whole. It would've if not for Tsuna's speedy intervention.

I heaved another sigh of relief. Maybe they had a chance after all. "We'll fight together," Tsuna assured Hayato.

"Bring it on, hey!" the Rain Arcobaleno challenged.

My phone rang, and I quickly looked at the Caller ID. Why would Chikusa be calling me? Answering it, I quietly asked, "Megane-chan? What's wrong?"

He replied, "It's the girl. She's not eating, and Ken is starting to worry." Chrome wasn't eating at all? As if hearing my unspoken question, Chikusa said, "Nothing. She didn't even touch the food Ken brought." Ken really did care about her, didn't she? "When you get the chance, come to Kokuyo Land. She may just listen to you."

I shook my head, not remembering that he couldn't see me. "I… Sakkaku-kun isn't going to let her die. Ken won't either. He's attached to her now, right?" Chikusa made a noise that I took as confirmation. "I'll be over as soon as I get a break."

When I turned back, Colonello was dropping to the ground, and Tsuna and Hayato were flying quickly towards the baby. Tsuna swiped at him repeatedly, but each time, Colonello blocked it. Frustrated, Tsuna aimed a kick at him, only to be jumped on and beaten into the ground. He struggled up, then flew at Colonello. Hayato shot at Colonello, who jumped. Taking this chance, Tsuna took another swipe at the Rain Arcobaleno. He simply smirked and kicked Tsuna right in the face. I grimaced as Hayato aimed multiple shots at Colonello. He dodged all of them and blasted Hayato back.

Tsuna was flying back towards some rocks, and at the last second, he managed to stop himself. When he turned back, Colonello aimed a hit to his face, beating him back into the rocks. "Hayato! Tsuna-kun!" I yelled. Tsuna looked up to see Maximum Burst being aimed right at him. I gasped and covered my face.

Takeshi tapped my shoulder and said, "Look!" I looked up to see three large shields in front of Tsuna. It must've been Hayato's new weapon, SISTEMA C.A.I. I heaved a huge sigh of relief and saw that Hayato's eyes were a bright green. Shooting more Flames at Colonello, Hayato blocked his attacks with his shields. More rapid-fire Flame-bullets came out of Hayato's weapon, and finally, a huge system of beams came out of his weapon, hitting Colonello dead-on.

But when the smoke cleared, only the bird was flying. "Over here, hey!" Colonello warned. Hayato looked behind him, all of us following his gaze. The Arcobaleno was right behind him, and Hayato was near defenseless. "Too bad, hey."

"You sure about that?"

The shocked Colonello looked behind him to see Tsuna powering up. X-BURNER, Tsuna's new attack, versus Colonello's Maximum Burst would be the final showdown in this fight. Two huge Flames came from both sides and smoke erupted over the field. When it cleared, I saw that Colonello's rifle was pretty much bent, and Tsuna was still standing. The Vongola boss landed and plucked the badge off of Colonello's green headband.

They did it. They won. Takeshi pulled me down to the field with them. I smiled in happiness. "Arcobaleno Trial 1, the test of combat ability, has been cleared! Good job, hey!"

I sighed in relief. One down, six more to go. Tsuna pointed his Vongola Ring at the Rain Pacifier, and the Ring seemed to gain a little bit of power. Even I saw that both his and my Rings were glowing. So were Hayato's, Takeshi's, and Ryohei's. I could bet that Chrome's, Lambo's, and Hibari's were glowing, too.

We walked home, and that's when I remembered. Chrome… "Hayato." They looked over to me. "I'm going to Kokuyo Land."

"Why?" he demanded softly.

I looked up at him sadly. "It's Kori-chan." He must've remembered that Kori-chan was my nickname for Chrome. "She's not eating well, and Dobutsu-chan and Megane-chan are both pretty worried about her. I'll be home soon." I stood up on my toes and kissed him on the cheek. "You did great today."

With that, I ran off towards Kokuyo Land, leaving a slightly pink Hayato in the distance.

X Tsunayoshi Sawada X

So Chrome wasn't eating, or at least, that's what Najika had said. Tsuna looked down at his food sadly. She'd vanished, and that's why Tsuna was worried. "Mom?"

"What is it?" Nana replied.

Tsuna asked, "Can you make some riceballs? You can put whatever you want inside." That way, Chrome would be okay.

Nana nodded. "Sure, but why?"

That sent him into a quick-thinking mode. "I-I was gonna study tonight to make up for the classes I missed," he lied quickly. Nana didn't know about Chrome, and quickly made the food.

X Najika Kamiya X

I was sitting with Chrome in the deserted building, with Ken and Chikusa both off somewhere. She had her head on my shoulder, but the rest of her body was shifted away from me. "Chrome, you have to eat something, or you'll starve. It'll make people worry."

She looked up to my face, then down. "No… I'm not hungry."

"You haven't eaten since we got back, and for all I know, you may not have eaten before we came back, either!" I protested firmly. "I'm worried. Ken and Chikusa are worried, too. Why do you think Ken brought you all of this?" I gestured to the snacks lying on the ground in front of the girl.

Chrome hesitated. "I… I just want to know that Mukuro-sama is okay…" That was a complete lie, and she probably knew that I was sure she was lying.

It was then that we heard a crunch. I looked up to see Tsuna standing there with a firm, and somewhat angry look on his face. Chrome looked up too. "Boss?"

"Where is Mukuro Roduko?" Tsuna demanded. Chrome scrambled to her feet, me right behind her. I stepped in front of her. Something was wrong. "I have business with Mukuro Roduko!" Tsuna pushed me out of the way and ordered, "Tell Mukuro Roduko to come out!"

I sat up and yelled, "Tsuna-kun, stop it! You're scaring her!" Chrome was visibly shaking, completely intimidated by her boss's strange behavior. "Tsuna-kun, get away from Kori-chan!"

I noticed the mist emanating from Chrome's body. "Who is it? Who dares bully my Chrome?" The eye patch fell off, revealing Mukuro. Tsuna stepped back in shock. "Are you the one who has business with me? Making Chrome scared, I'll punish you." I got to my feet and Mukuro pushed me behind him. "Stay out of this, Kanari-chan."

_Tsuna… what are you thinking?_

The brunette boy ran out, the illusionist following. I gritted my teeth and followed the two, only to see Tsuna holding a huge box tied with a purple cloth. Wait… if Tsuna was there, then who was the Tsuna who had just scared Chrome?

Unless… _One of them wasn't Tsuna._

As I ran outside, I saw Hibari and Mukuro both there. I winced as they both glared at poor Tsuna, then turned to each other and started to fight. I ran up and yelled, "Sakkaku-kun, Hibari-kun! Stop fighting, please!" Tsuna seemed too scared to move, or frozen in thought.

All we could do was watch as Hibari and Mukuro attacked each other with absolutely no mercy in either of their attacks. "What are you doing, Hibari-san?! Mukuro?!" Tsuna demanded, dropping his package.

I sighed. Those two were equal in stubbornness. That's when I saw the helmet-head Arcobaleno named Skull. Everything was backfiring in his plan. I sighed. So this was a trial. It was confirmed when Lal showed up.

All he had to do was calm them down Hibari and Mukuro. Easy enough, right? Yeah… that wasn't working. Especially when a group of Skull's lackeys showed up and attacked both of them, only to be taken care of by Ken and Chikusa when they came to check on the noise.

I sat down next to Reborn and watched as the fight continued when a huge octopus showed up and attacked Tsuna. Ken and Chikusa were doing fine, as was Tsuna. I was more worried about Mukuro and Hibari, so I stood and ran around all of the others and found Mukuro and Hibari rather quickly. Those guys… They never stop fighting, do they? Too bad I couldn't get involved.

Damn octopus. Because the thing landed right in front of me, I wasn't able to see what happened. All I was able to pick up was that Tsuna somehow calmed the two most stubborn guardians of them all, and that Skull had provoked both of them using Mammon, and that they both knew it before it even began.

I sighed in relief and turned to Mukuro. "Sakkaku-kun… you were right in your warning," I said. He smiled a little.

"I know. Just be careful, all right?" he asked before disappearing. "Kanari-chan… the future isn't bright for you."

_The future isn't bright for you._

I knew that already. I looked down and walked away from the scene. "Tsuna-kun?" I asked. "Make sure Chrome gets a good meal, and make sure she's okay." I looked as my Ring turned a purple. The Cloud trial was over, which meant there were only five more trials to go.

The next morning, I met up with Kyoko, who had called me earlier, and Himeko. At first I was wary of Himeko, since she had _flirted_ with Hayato, and pretty shamelessly too. But she sheepishly said, "I didn't know he was your boyfriend. My bad."

I smiled a little and replied, "It's fine. Please, for my sake, just don't do it again. Himeko-san."

She sighed. "Yeah, no need to worry 'bout that, but for _my_ sake, call me Hime-chan!" she exclaimed. I laughed and agreed. Hime meant "princess," which strangely reminded me of a certain someone who loved to be called the Prince.

We were out at the mall the entire day. Hime and I actually ended up pretty quick friends. She was actually really cool. "How about this?" I asked, holding up the black dress. Hime sized it up, looking it up and down, then gave the thumbs up.

"What about this for me?" she asked, pulling out a long black coat. It looked really good on her.

Nodding happily, I pulled out a red skirt and black T-shirt that was her size and handed them to her. "Go try that entire outfit on." She grimaced, then pulled out a pair of black jeans and a red V-neck T-shirt instead.

"Sorry. I just don't like skirts too much." She picked up a pink shirt and handed it to Kyoko. "Kyoko-chan, try this one on," she suggested.

Kyoko happily agreed and held up a purple and white striped shirt. "I think this one would be perfect for you!" she said, handing it to Himeko.

Himeko laughed, and it sounded strangely familiar. "Yeah! It's just my style." I gaped. Things were beginning to add up. Himeko didn't exist, but I knew someone just like her who did. "Hey, Naji-chan, let's go get some lunch and then go to the shrine when Kyoko-chan's done shopping!"

Namimori Shrine? "Sure," I agreed, nodding.

Lunch was uneventful. But walking to Namimori Shrine, I we noticed the entire town covered in mist. Mist… Mammon… That only confirmed my suspicion. "Hey, Hime-chan, let's get some ice cream," I said. "What do you want, Kyoko-chan?"

"Ah! Vanilla, please, Najika-chan"

Of course, Hime came with me. "I'll pay, Hime-chan. Or should I say… Bel." Hime, or Bel, laughed again and I smirked. "Everything that's happened today has only confirmed what I thought."

He giggled. "So you knew from the start? I should've figured, huh, Naji-hime?"

I smiled weakly. "It's been a while. Sorry for the last time I saw you."

"Nope~ It's fine. Boss isn't very happy, but hey, when is he ever?" I laughed a little. Never was the correct answer for that one. "I missed you, Naji-hime."

Looking at him, I reprimanded, "No physical contact until you show your true self. Just don't do it in front of Kyoko-chan. She's been through enough these past few days."

Bel nodded. "I figured as much. Then let's get going to the shrine."

As we walked to the shrine, Bel and I sent cryptic messages to each other through whatever else we were saying. I learned that the Kyuudaime had suspended them from action for a short while, but they were all getting back into their job. I told him that I'd been practicing my fighting, and I was getting better. Before I knew it, we were at the Namimori shrine. Little balls of goo were flying at us from everywhere at that point. Kyoko shrieked and Bel and I exchanged a look.

He flung knives at the red goo, and I pulled out my gun that I'd left in the past and shot a whole bunch of them down. I high-fived him and then, Bel and I stayed behind to wait for Mammon, and then I saw my Ring light up. The Mist trial was over and we only had to defeat four more Arcobaleno.

After Mammon caught up to us, I was shocked to see how hurt he was. "Mammon… Did Tsuna-kun get you with his X-BURNER?" I asked, putting a bandage on his cheek.

"Yeah. He's gotten stronger," the Arcobaleno mused. "Anyways, I'm hungry. Can we go eat?"

I laughed. "Yeah, of course. Let's go. I know just the place for you, Bel," I laughed, picking Mammon up. "It's Takeshi-kun's place, and it serves the best sushi in town. Let's get going!" Bel's face lit up; he'd clearly heard of it before.

X Takeshi Yamamoto X

When Takeshi walked into his dad's sushi restaurant, he was surprised to see three people eating and sitting together happily. "Give me the pink one next," Belphegor ordered.

"Pink one?" his dad asked in disbelief. "Kid, this is known as extra-fatty tuna." Mammon sighed and Najika, of all people, laughed as Belphegor got his order of extra-fatty tuna sushi.

Takeshi walked up to them. "H-Hey…" Belphegor and Najika looked up from their conversation about something or other. "You guys haven't gone back to Italy yet?" he asked.

Belphegor laughed. "This was the reason I tagged along."

"Yeah, we can't spend every second working," Mammon added. "Anytime we come here, we come to this place. Najika recommended it, too, so all the better."

Takeshi looked over to see another strange figure cloaked in purple with a monkey on his head also eating. Najika laughed at something Belphegor said. "Takeshi-kun, chill. Now that Mammon's job is over, they're going to stick around for a little. Himeko and Monta Hariyama are a thing of the past."

Belphegor chuckled and slung his arm around Najika's shoulder. "We're going to be crashing at your place tonight."

She shrugged. "That's fine with me, but I'm staying with Hayato, so you two have to promise not to burn anything." Unlike Ken and Chikusa. Those two and Chrome had decided to stay in Kokuyo Land.

"Aw~ That sucks, I wanted to stay with you again~" Belphegor whined. Takeshi chuckled a little. Their little act never changed.

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><p><strong>Atogaki:<strong>

**So yeah. I died. Whoopsies? I kind of had to go offline due to everything that was happening in my life, but I'm much better now. Things are a lot clearer. I was actually caught in Hurricane Sandy a few days ago, and my local library has its own backup generator and internet. So I have something really important to say.**

**If you're reading and you weren't caught in the Hurricane, please donate anything you can spare, even a few dollars. I'm trapped in my own town. I can't see my friends, I can't get to school, and the entire town is black. The library is only a couple minutes walk away from my home, so that's why I'm on here. Hurricane Sandy devastated the Tristate area. My town, personally, will be black for at least another two weeks.**

**There's few resources left in the town. All the shops are closed. My dad is having difficulty getting in and out of town to go to work, and even more trouble finding gas to keep our tiny generator running. We weren't swamped, like Sayreville, NJ or Staten Island, but there has been destruction absolutely everywhere that I turn. Please donate, and if you need your parents permission, please ask them to help out as well. Every little bit counts.**

**Thank you so much for reading this. I'm back, I suppose. I had time to finish and edit this entire story over these past few days that we've been running on a simple generator. It's 253 pages and over 101,000 words. Thanks for sticking with me through this.**

**Again; please help the relief for Hurricane Sandy.**

**Thanks. :')**

**-Akira**


	18. Remembering Memories

**Episode 18: Remembering Memories  
>"The future I cannot forget, this aching heart ain't broken yet. Oh God, I wish I could make you see… 'Cause I know this flame isn't dying… But nothing can stop me from trying…"<br>****-"Time for Miracles" by Adam Lambert**

* * *

><p>The next day was rather uneventful for me. Hayato had said something about having to find a man in purple.<p>

I sighed. Another Arcobaleno trial. Which I blatantly ignored, honestly. So basically, I spent the day with Bel and Mammon, making lunches for everyone, including Hibari. I found everyone besides Tsuna, Lambo, I-Pin, and Haru. So I went to give one to Hibari, who I was sure was in the Reception Room, as usual.

Knocking on the door to the Reception Room, I waited. No one answered. I groaned. So I was wrong? Sheesh, where else would he be, especially on a day off? That's when I felt a powerful Flame. This power could only belong to an Arcobaleno! I rushed off towards the source of the power, the Art Room.

When I got there, I sighed at the sight. It was kind of sad how used to the types of things I saw nowadays. An Arcobaleno was sitting in a bruised Tsuna's lap with Haru, I-Pin, Reborn, Lambo, and Lal surrounding them. Smiling, I put the boxed lunches onto the table and walked away. I bumped into Hibari and looked back.

That Arcobaleno looked an awful lot like Hibari. That was probably I-Pin's master and the reason for her infatuation with Hibari. "Good day, Hibari-kun," I greeted him sarcastically.

"Get out of my way, or I'll bite you to death," he warned. I stepped aside and allowed him into the room. Next thing I know, there's a huge explosion.

The Arcobaleno sighed. "Good grief… It seems like she still has a ways to go after all." He spotted me. "Ah. You're Najika Kamiya, right? Thank you for helping I-Pin out of some situations. My name is Fon."

I smiled a little. "Nice to meet you, Fon. Hibari-kun… I made lunch for everyone. Here." I handed the Cloud Guardian the box, and he simply took it with no words and walked away, most likely to the roof. "Fon, would you like to have lunch with us?"

Another day had gone by, which meant another trial had gone. Four trials were done, and four more remained. Three days remained in our week long time period, including today. I sighed. That should be enough, hopefully. We knew Reborn, and we knew Verde.

I sat on Tsuna's bed, listening to Hayato, Tsuna, Takeshi, and Ryohei going back and forth about who the Sky Arcobaleno was. This was going to be a tough one. I stood. "Sorry to run so fast, but I'm going to check on Chrome."

Chrome was surprisingly doing okay. She was eating well, ever since Tsuna brought those riceballs to her. We walked into Namimori together the next day, so I could treat her to lunch, and I was surprised to see Tsuna with Kyoko, Haru, and a woman I quickly identified to be the Sky Arcobaleno. Kyoko and Haru pulled us over to eat, Chrome turning a bright red. I laughed and stood up to get everyone something to eat. "Nice to meet you, Najika Kamiya," the Arcobaleno greeted.

I looked around to see that Tsuna was missing. "You're the Sky Arcobaleno…"

"My name is Aria, and I have a question for you all." She leaned forward. "What do you all think of Tsunayoshi-kun?"

Haru turned a little red and she replied, "Tsuna-san is very kind and cool." Of course.

Kyoko added, "He can really surprise you at times, but it's reassuring to have him with you." Ah, sweet Kyoko.

Chrome's answer was quiet, but it made sense. "The boss is my link to someone important to me… but he's very kind to me."

I shrugged. "Tsuna-kun has done a lot for me. Ever since I met him, he's been nothing but nice to me. He understands me better than a lot of people," I answered honestly.

Aria smiled a little. "I see. Everybody likes him." It was true. Everyone loved Tsuna. He had a way of surprising everyone. Shamal showed up, even if it was only a brief second. Chrome and left and I watched the interaction between Aria and Tsuna. I smirked a little, then stood up. There were several men watching us who took out box weapons of all different Flames.

Before I could even get set up, Hayato, Takeshi, and Ryohei had come out of nowhere. I pulled out my guns and aimed steadily. They were all down before anything could start. I stood up and walked up to Tsuna. No one was hurt, but when we turned around, they all disappeared.

I smiled a little bit and moved to leave. "See you later, Hayato. I'm going to make sure that Bel hasn't killed anyone yet." When I was halfway home, I noticed my Ring glowing orange. The Sky challenge was cleared.

X Tsunayoshi Sawada X

Boy, was Tsuna surprised when Reborn said that he would be the holder of the next Trial. But hey, it was to be expected. After all, Reborn was an Arcobaleno.

The sixth trial was the Sun Arcobaleno's trial. The Sun Arcobaleno, also known as the Hitman Home Tutor Reborn.

X Najika Kamiya X

It was late at night when we were being rowed to Namimori Island. I clutched Hayato's hand tightly. We were going up against Reborn. Against Reborn, it seemed almost like we had no chance.

Reborn, the greatest Hitman in the world, would be fighting against us, a group consisting of seven teenagers and a little boy. Everyone showed up, including Chrome and Hibari. Even so… I wasn't so sure that we would be able to beat them. Even Takeshi seemed worried about getting stuck in a huge fight with Reborn.

By the time we finally got to where Reborn was, it was early morning. I fidgeted a little, opening my Box Weapon and taking out Michi and Ryuu.

An all-out battle was what the trial was going to be. I gritted my teeth and prepared to fight. Tsuna was quickly kicked into the rocks. Any one of us was able to attack him. Hibari was the first to strike, but Reborn parried everything with no problem. Hibari slammed the weapon away from Reborn, but the Arcobaleno jumped, catching Leon as he transformed into a gun. Hibari's eyes widened as Reborn's bullet made contact. Hibari was still standing, but fell as soon as the smoke cleared. I gaped; Hibari, our best, had been easily beaten.

Ryohei was next. Reborn dodged every punch. Takeshi and Hayato brought out their weapons, as did Chrome and I. We were all trying our best, but Reborn's bullet took out Takeshi and Chrome rather quickly. Ryohei blocked Reborn's punch, but one hit to the gut was all it took to knock the boxer out cold.

Only Hayato and I were left standing. Lambo was asleep, Hibari and Ryohei were out, and Chrome and Takeshi were struggling to get up. Hayato took the next move, aiming all of his bullets at Reborn, no mercy shown. Reborn was quick to jump, and Hayato's Flame Thunder was deflected easily, knocking him out.

I guess it was my turn. I jumped up and released both Vento and Frusta. Vento's wing hardened and he flew around Reborn, blocking where I was going to be. But Vento was thrown at Frusta, and I was left with no cover. Reborn dodged all of the bullets, and then I remembered. Those darts… Loading the darts into Michi and Ryuu, I shot. They were like torpedoes, but even so, Reborn dodged every one. He reappeared behind me, and kicked the back of my head. Everything went black.

Reborn… he was just too strong for us.

When my mind allowed my body to move, I found all of us just lying in beds on Namimori Island. We never even had a chance. Not even Tsuna, Reborn's faithful student. Maybe this just wasn't meant to be. Maybe we shouldn't have even attempted it.

I stayed staring at the ceiling for God knows how long, listening to the bickering of my friends. I sighed silently and slipped out of the hospital bed, staggering towards the stairs that led up. This was the lighthouse, and I couldn't help but feel the need to go outside. The sun was still shining, as if the sky was oblivious to the tragic loss that its representative had just suffered.

I sighed and backed up against the wall, sliding down. Tucking my legs in, I rested my head in between them. This didn't turn out the way it was supposed to. If only I was stronger…

No. If only _we_ were stronger. I looked back up to see the sun still shining brightly. I smiled a little. Just like Ryohei, the sun was always shining down, trying to be optimistic about everything. The clouds, like Hibari, were trying to isolate themselves. Then, there was mist that covered some part of the land. It was mysterious, like Chrome and Mukuro. And I knew, somewhere, there was a storm, with rain and thunder. Lambo, Takeshi, and Hayato. They never gave up on something they wanted. And Tsuna, who was the sky. He was the one that allowed all of them to tap into their fullest potential.

What was I? A wave. Just a wave. I stood and walked to the railing. The waves were eating away at the sandy beach, desperately trying to cling to the earth that they touched. I sighed. I had no connection to the sky. "I'm nothing compared to the rest of them…"

"Not true." I turned to see Reborn. "You are a bridge. You connect the sky and the earth, and allow the clouds, the mist, and the rain to be seen. Without the clouds and the rain, the thunder and the storm wouldn't be what they are. The sunshine can be dimmed and brightened depending on the wave's interference. Without the wave, the sky wouldn't have anything."

I smiled weakly. "Then why am I not able to do anything when they need me?" I asked quietly, looking back out to the ocean. "Was I wrongly chosen as a Guardian? I was just a blind girl with a tragic past."

Reborn looked out to the sea, too. "No. You've changed everyone in this family, as much as you don't think you have." I laughed a little. "I'm serious, Najika. You brought out a part of everyone, including the Varia, that no one else knows. They, themselves, didn't even know that part of them."

Resting my head on my hand, I thought about what Reborn had said. Maybe he was right. Maybe I could help people change. "I'll be the wave, and I'll be there for my friends," I vowed. A smirk took over Reborn's face. "I'll do my best."

"Good."

When I walked back down the stairs, I noticed Shamal was walking away from the boys. Smiling a little, I sat on Hayato's bed. He was sitting up, so I knelt on the mattress and hugged him from behind. "There's no need to worry. Everything is going to be okay. We'll try again."

He shook. "The trial is over. Reborn-san won't fight us again. We blew our chance."

I sighed. "Don't worry. We'll find a way to pass. For Tsuna-kun's sake." I got up again. "I'm leaving now, okay?" I ruffled both his and Tsuna's hair. "We'll do this right. We're the Vongola." Walking out, I looked up at the sun again, smiling. I knew that we would be able to do this.

The waves were still grabbing at the sand, and at that, I smiled a little. Taking off my shoes, I rested my feet in the waves, feeling relaxed by just being near the waves. They licked at my ankles and I kicked a little. I felt like I was five, going to the beach for the first time.

As of now, that day, I had great friends, a powerful weapon, and a reason to fight. This is all I could've ever asked for. I won't lose to anyone. I looked down at my Ring, watching it glint.

But… Tsuna was tested with everyone on some level. Everyone had two tests but me. I was only tested against Reborn. What was my next trial going to be?

My thinking was interrupted by a group of large ships in the sky. Box Weapon starfish and a tank rolled up onto the beach. I looked down. Vento and Frusta, my two trusted Box Weapons, Chiarore, my Flame-board, and Michi and Ryuu, my guns. I opened all of the boxes, except for Chiarore. Vento and Frusta went off, defeating several Box Weapons. I transformed Michi and Ryuu and shot down several of the Box Weapons, having them crumble into pieces.

The creepy laughter rang out along the beach and a green sub came out of the water. "Bearers of the Vongola Rings, are you enjoying yourselves?" It was Verde, the holder of the Thunder pacifier.

He was the one doing all this. I glared at him, but continued to destroy the Box Weapon prototypes. This wasn't a trial by any means. Verde was willing to kill the other Arcobaleno to get what he wanted. I growled a little and noticed that even Lal, Colonello, and Reborn had joined in the fight.

Then I remembered. Oh, no… If Verde was going after the Vongola Rings, he was most likely going to be going after Lambo and Hibari, too. Hibari was going to be fine, he could definitely handle himself. As for Lambo, I just hoped that Verde decided to be nice and not attack poor Lambo. I gritted my teeth and called for Frusta and Vento. The hawk landed on my shoulder and the leopard wrapped itself protectively around my legs.

"Let's go, you two. Let's pull this one off! Wind Slicer!" Vento created a tornado around the robots and other box weapons, trapping them in a high power vortex. Frusta leapt up and extended his claws, spinning. I opened the Box and called both of them back, and let them out again. They growled a little as more box weapons appeared.

Everyone was fighting the box weapons now. They seemed stronger than the original ones, or we were just weaker. I was struggling to hold back _starfish_. That's just sad.

A scream interrupted me. All of us looked back to Chrome. I gasped. She was being strangled by a Box Weapon squid. I grimaced and turned to Frusta. He nodded and we both lunged forward, but it quickly dropped her. I looked to see that red octopus with a hold on the squid. Only Skull would do that.

What I didn't realize was that the starfish were crowding around me. I squeaked pitifully and looked around for help. Everyone seemed to be occupied. Several knives flew towards me and stuck right in the starfish, destroying them. A familiar laugh rang out and a certain blonde Varia member dropped down next to me. "Bel!" I cried happily.

"You'd better be careful, Naji-hime~ This may get ugly~" he crooned darkly. I nodded. Vento and Frusta landed at our sides. I watched in horror as all of the Arcobaleno appeared. Now that all of the Arcobaleno were there and all of the Vongola Ring holders were there, Verde could get all of us.

Green mist was sprayed down from a small, green sphere that Verde shot out. It froze all of the Arcobaleno, even Lal. More chess-like rockets landed and all six of the Arcobaleno were pulled towards them and strapped on. All of them looked like they were asleep.

Tsuna jumped down to help Reborn and revealed the green mist to be a non-7^3 policy. Now he wanted the Vongola Rings, too. I grimaced. "Hurry up!" Verde demanded. Bel pulled me behind him protectively.

He giggled dangerously and warned, "The Prince won't be very happy if you take the Varia's Princess away~" I pulled him towards the others, and we were all glaring at the Thunder Arcobaleno, waiting for Tsuna's decision.

"I can't!" Tsuna replied.

We all jumped into combat mode, but Tsuna was almost immediately stopped with a group of starfish. Bel tossed knives nonstop at the starfish, and even Hibari came to help out. I smiled a little and started firing the Wave Darts at the starfish. We stepped up next to Tsuna, Bel's knives still out threateningly.

If only things were so easy. Verde let out a bunch of vacuums, and my guns were being pulled away from me, but, in fact, he was sucking away the Wave Flames. Takeshi's Rain Flames, Tsuna's Sky Flames, Hayato's Storm Flames, and Hibari's Cloud Flames were also taken away, and all of us fell to our knees. I gasped harshly, trying to breath.

Verde sent five more lobsters at us, and Michi and Ryuu had turned back into lizards. They couldn't fight. If I sent Vento or Frusta out to fight, they'd get their Flames taken, too. Tsuna tried to light up his gloves, but the Flames wouldn't appear. The lobster knocked Tsuna down as he tried to hold it off.

That feeling of complete rage and hatred made itself known in my body again. I hated Verde. I hated what he was doing. I hated him for taking Lal and Reborn and Colonello and Fon. I hated him for using our Flames against us.

I panted harshly as Bel attempted to hold off the lobster using the Wave Flames. My hands lit up with the blood-red Flames once again. I was angry, angrier than I'd ever been. Bel fell to his knees beside me. He was running out of knives and stamina. He looked down and noticed the power that was once again swirling underneath me. "Naji-hime?"

I forced myself to stand and I glared at the lobsters. The Flames around my hand shot out at the Wave lobster and wrapped around it. I pulled and sliced the lobster in half. Everyone was having a hard time. Tsuna's bright orange flames quickly destroyed his lobster, and then Hayato followed. Takeshi sliced his with Shigure Souen, and Hibari rid himself of his, too.

Tsuna flew up and destroyed the green machine. But when he prepared to save the Arcobaleno, one by one, the chess pieces blew up. I gasped in horror and the Flames on my hand grew brighter. I stood and released the Flame-board. "Naji-hime, wait. Don't do anything reckless!" Bel warned.

"Take your own advice," I spat.

"Look!" he exclaimed. All of the Arcobaleno were there, safe and sound. I smirked. They were safe, but I was still pissed off. All of the Arcobaleno helped to finish off those pesky lobsters. I hopped on Chiarore and flew up into the sky.

Tsuna growled, "Let's end this."

Reborn added angrily, "It's futile to drag this out any longer."

"Futile?" Verde appeared from his submarine. "What you're doing is futile. Why don't you understand the importance of my research? I can't live a meaningless life, ignoring my own desires." He raised his arms in a sort of dance-like move. "Electtrico Thunder!"

I cried out in pain along with everyone else as the green lightning hit all of us, stopping every one of us in our tracks. All except Lambo, who, with his Electric Skin, absorbed the attack and fed it into Verde's submarine. The entire thing seemed to blow a little when Lambo threw his grenades, and Verde's attack was stopped.

"Shit!" he cursed, looking at his hands. Then he looked up to see Tsuna preparing his X-BURNER. "I won't allow that to happen!" Several of the chess-rockets were aimed at Tsuna, but one shot from Reborn was all it took to bring them down.

Colonello pulled Lambo out of the way and Tsuna fried Verde with X-BURNER. To all of our surprise, he was a robot. I gaped a little as Tsuna came back to the beach. I glared out at the sea. Where was the real Verde?

Tsuna's feeling was always correct. Verde was in Namimori, and, he was closer than we thought. Bumpy Rock.

We entered the research lab and we heard Verde say, "Welcome to my research lab, I suppose."

Hayato demanded, "Are you Verde? The real one?!"

The Arcobaleno swirled in his chair and replied, "Yes, of course. I am very grateful. I was unable to obtain the Vongola Rings, but I did obtain valuable data. I will be able to make significant advances with my research now."

I smirked a little bit. "Don't you care about the Arcobaleno curse, hey?!" Colonello demanded. Curse? I looked down at the blonde baby.

"I would never consider this phenomenon to be something so unscientific as a curse," replied Verde. "In fact, I find it a fascinating toy that assists in my research for scientific development." At this, both Fon and Mammon sighed.

With that, Verde revealed his trial was of intuition, and, once Tsuna found his hideout in Bumpy Rock, Verde's trial was cleared. Tsuna pointed the Ring at the green pacifier and I watched as they all lit up. I smiled a bit. The only seal left was Reborn's, and there was no way that Reborn would allow us to go to the future without it.

Verde huffed a little. "Well, it's none of my business." He disappeared into the floor, and the entire lab started shaking. It was going to be destroyed!

As soon as we were back on land, I sighed in relief and collapsed. "Geez, that guy is insane!" I complained. "He brings a new meaning to 'mad scientist!' I happen to value my life, you idiot Arcobaleno!" Bel chuckled a little.

Lal said, "We can't ignore him. I'll be investigating what he's up to."

"I'll let you guys handle that," Reborn replied. "I have something else to do." We all turned to Reborn. Was he going to let us take the trial again? "There's two more trials that they need to pass."

Two?

Wait… the Wave Seal. I completely forgot. Was there even a Wave Arcobaleno?

Tsuna seemed to discard this fact and pleaded, "Reborn, please! Let us take your trial again!" Everyone watched as Tsuna begged Reborn to give us one more chance. "I know we failed your trial. But I can't just give up! I have to, for everyone's future!"

We all bowed to Reborn and begged him to allow us. "It's not necessary," quipped Reborn. I looked up in surprise, then smiled. "I asked if you were prepared to do whatever it takes as a boss to protect your family. You showed me your answer in the fight with Verde. That's why you've passed my trial."

The last seal was given as the Rings all glowed yellow. It was over. I smiled a little as the lights erupted from our Rings and collided.

"Reborn." My friends all turned to look at me. "You said there was one more trial. There is no Wave Arcobaleno, is there?"

He shook his head. "No. Your trial will be administered by all of us. Only you, Najika, will take this trial."

I looked at the six Arcobaleno. Mammon, Aria, Fon, Colonello, Skull, and Reborn. They would all be testing me so I could pass the trial. "What is the trial?" I asked quietly. "And what is the goal?"

"Your trial is to remember," Mammon informed me. "Your memories from now until your death are yours to take. Remember; this is a trial. If you refuse, you fail."

If I refused this, then Tsuna would have no chance of beating Byakuran. "You don't have to do this!" Tsuna protested. I looked back to my friends, who all looked worried, even Bel, then I looked back to the Arcobaleno and nodded. "Najika-chan!"

Reborn warned, "I should tell you that you'll feel everything. You'll know everything that happened. Feel free to change the future. Even if you do, those memories will remain, but they will be fantasy."

Colonello added, "You'll feel the pain, both emotionally and physically. Every cut to your heart and every bullet to your skin, hey. All of these feelings will come back to you at once, hey."

"You'll know the rage you feel at people and the sadness of someone's death," Fon said. "Every emotion you feel is going to be exposed."

Aria also added, "Your relationships, too, both good and bad."

Reborn finally said, "The end result of the trial will be the power to create a new future that everyone wants."

I looked back once again. Their worried expressions hadn't changed. I took a deep breath and replied, "I'm ready." A rainbow of color from the Arcobaleno pacifiers hit my face, then everything went black.

It seemed to stay like that for hours. I looked around, then heard a voice. "Najika… wake up." I opened my eyes. That was Hayato's voice… but it was still black. That's when I noticed that the floor underneath me seemed to be a screen. My memories…

_-flash-_

_"Najika, come on! We're going to be late for our first day of high school!" someone whined. A sixteen-year-old brunette girl with purple eyes opened her front door. Standing there was Hayato Gokudera. "Come on. I knew I should've stayed over again. You're always going to be late…"_

_She laughed. "It's not like Hibari-kun is going to bite me to death if I'm late," she joked, picking up her school bag._

_Hayato smirked. "No, but I'm sure someone else is willing to." He bent down to whisper something in her ear, and a look of shock overtook Najika's face._

_"You wouldn't…"_

_-flash-_

_A nineteen-year-old Najika stepped into the classroom, waving sheepishly. "Sorry I'm late," she apologized. She felt her cheeks heating up at the stares she was getting from her University classmates._

_The professor simply waved it off. "No need to worry, Miss Kamiya. Take a seat." The only available seat was next to a handsome white-haired boy. His purple eyes were watching Najika intently. Swallowing her embarrassment and nervousness, she took a seat next to him._

_She was listening to her professor speak, and was quickly jotting down notes in English, the language of the country she was in, when she felt a tap on her arm. She looked down to see the white-haired boy writing quickly in Japanese. __**"Hi there. My name's Byakuran. You're… Kamiya?"**_

_Smiling a little, she scribbled back, __**"Yes, I'm Najika Kamiya. You speak Japanese?"**_

**_"Only a little. After all, I was born in America. Japan has always fascinated me."_**

**_"Oh, that's nice! My friends and I just came here for a visit, but my boyfriend and I decided to stay here for a little while.."_**

_Byakuran seemed amused by that. __**"That's sweet of him. Ah, the professor's looking over here! Better get back to work~ Can I talk to you at lunch, or during free period?"**_

**_"Of course! Talk to you later."_**

_That was her first meeting with Byakuran, who would soon be the most dangerous person they'd ever fought._

_-flash-_

_The sun was setting. Two figures were sitting on a blanket, both around twenty, maybe twenty-one. "Hayato?"_

_The silver-haired bomber looked down at Najika. "Yeah?"_

_"Do you know what we're going to name him yet?" she asked, looking down at her stomach. "I was thinking Kaito. It fits, you know?"_

_Hayato chuckled a little and wrapped his arms around Najika. "I like it. Kaito Gokudera, the next right-hand man of the Vongola boss!"_

_She laughed and replied, "You have high hopes for him."_

_"You don't?"_

_"… Of course I do. He's going to be brilliant."_

_-flash-_

_"Tsuna, Kyoya," a twenty-four year old Najika stepped into the room. The Vongola Tenth and his Cloud Guardian looked up to the Wave Guardian. "I arranged the meeting with the Millefiore. Byakuran-kun will be happy to speak to you."_

_Tsuna smiled warmly. "Great, and thanks Najika. Gokudera knows nothing about the plan?"_

_She shook her head. "No. I made sure of that." The brunette boss nodded in approval and turned to say something to Kyoya. "Tsuna… I'm worried, though. What if there's… unwanted results from this? Don't forget that I'm a mother."_

_Kyoya scoffed. "He's not going to know this plan existed. Nothing else will happen."_

_"But-!"_

_Tsuna cut her off. "Don't. Just don't. I know what I'm doing, Najika. Don't you worry about a thing."_

_She nodded hesitantly. "I'll try."_

_-flash-_

**Bang.**

_Najika ran into the room to see Tsuna's bloody body. He was still alive, but barely. His breathing was heavy and his eyes were struggling to stay open. She gasped and felt the need to throw up as she got closer to her friend. Blood was leaking out of the shot to his abdomen. Looking around, she saw the Millefiore soldiers and Byakuran, who looked almost… _smug.

_"No… Tsuna…" she whimpered, falling to her knees. "Tsuna! Don't you dare do this to me! We need you!"_

_Byakuran's dark chuckle broke her out of her pleading. "Najika-chan, you didn't know this was going to happen? You're the one who did all of this. You gave me everything I needed to know, and you set up this meeting. You betrayed Tsunayoshi Sawada. This is all your fault."_

_She froze. "I…"_

_"How could you do that?!" an angry voice demanded. She looked to see Hayato, Takeshi, Ryohei, Lambo, Chrome, and Kyoya. Lambo and Chrome had gone into shock, and Hayato, Takeshi, and Ryohei looked ready to destroy someone. Kyoya was the only one who looked even remotely calm. He still looked a little shocked at the sight. "Najika… why?"_

_"I…"_

_She was immediately pulled up, coming face-to-face with Byakuran. "You should've run while you had the chance." She felt something poking into her middle, but didn't dare look down. "I almost wish I didn't have to do this," he sighed._

**Bang.**

_Pain spread across her entire body as she felt a warm liquid running from her stomach. Byakuran dropped her unceremoniously next to Tsuna, who moved his head slightly and smiled weakly at her. "I don't blame you," he rasped, grabbing her hand and letting his eyes boring into hers._

_"Thank you," she muttered, squeezing his hand. That was the last thing she saw before she closed her eyes and darkness overtook her._

_-flash-_

I opened my eyes and saw Tsuna's worried face in front of me. I gasped and pushed him away, sitting up and looking around. I wasn't in that horrible room anymore. No one was mad, only confused and worried. I sighed in relief.

_"You're the one who did all of this. You gave me everything I needed to know, and you set up this meeting. You betrayed Tsunayoshi Sawada. This is all your fault."_

"NO!" I shrieked, covering my ears, praying that the voices would go away. "Leave me alone! Go away! I didn't mean to do any of it!" My eyes were wide with fright and I remembered that those voices couldn't leave me alone. It wasn't just a voice. It was a memory that would haunt me forever. "I'm sorry…"

Hayato's hand touched my shoulder. "Najika…"

I just pulled away and sobbed more. "I'm so sorry…"

* * *

><p><strong>Owari.<strong>

**Not much to say. I'm tired and I'm cold. Bleh. Uh. It's a lead up to the next chapter. And I love Adam Lambert. No, I don't care about his sexual orientation, he's a sexy person.**

**So like... review please?**


	19. I'm Still Here

**Episode 19: I'm Still Here  
><strong>**"And you see the things they never see, all you wanted, I could be. Now you know me, and I'm not afraid. And I want to tell you who I am. Can you help me be a man? They can't break me as long as I know who I am…"  
><strong>**-"I'm Still Here" by John Rzeznik**

* * *

><p>X Tsunayoshi Sawada X<p>

Najika was quiet the entire time that they headed back to the future. Even Chrome and Belphegor were worried about her. But Bel couldn't go with them. "Sorry. I'll be back soon, and as soon as I am, I'll call," she apologized quietly, squeezing Bel's hand a little tighter.

Bel laughed a little and let her hand fall back to her side. "You'd better, Naji-hime." He waved a little and he and Mammon walked off. "I'll be waiting by the phone~" he called back, smirking.

The tiniest of smiles finally appeared on Najika's face. "It's time to go," she said, walking towards the 10-Year Bazooka. "We shouldn't dawdle anymore." Heaving it up, she faced all of them.

_Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang._

With Lambo and I-Pin already in the future, Najika shot the others one at a time. She turned to Tsuna with an apologetic look. "I have to leave as soon as we get back," she reminded him.

He nodded. "I have to ask though. Are you sure that you're okay? You don't have to bear the burden of those memories by yourself."

"Your wrong," she replied shortly. "I have to change this myself. But I'll be okay." She managed a small, weak smile at Tsuna before turning the Bazooka on herself. "See you soon, I hope."

_Bang._

Then there were two. Only Tsuna and Reborn were left. Hibari wasn't there. Almost an hour later, Hibari still hadn't shown up. "Time's up." Reborn jumped and kicked Tsuna into the Bazooka, with the Arcobaleno following quickly.

When Tsuna looked up, he saw that he really was back in the future. Everyone had returned safely, even Hibari. The only one who wasn't there was Najika. "Um… Did Najika-chan come?"

Shoichi nodded. "Yeah. But she left."

X Najika Kamiya X

It was probably wrong of me to leave, especially when everything was just getting started. But I promised that I'd prepare to help with something. I couldn't back down from that promise I made to Fran.

He was there to greet me, along with Bel and Hikaru. Bel walked up to me and said, "I heard from the Arcobaleno… Lal Mirch… that you went back to the past for a week. You could've died, you idiot!"

"It's the past, Bel," I replied dryly. "Nothing there could hurt me physically."

Fran deadpanned, "Well, we have good news. Mukuro Roduko is still alive, and we have a mission to gather his lackeys and break him from Vendicare prison." Okay, now I was the least bit shocked. "Yes, _that_ Vendicare prison."

I shrugged and walked inside the castle. "I'm going to try and contact Sakkaku-kun, so please don't bother me."

If Mukuro was still alive, I could probably still contact him. I locked all my doors and windows and even went as far as put on some headphones to block out all noise. Lying down on the comfortable bed, I let my eyes close and my mind wander, searching for Mukuro Roduko.

_-flash-_

_I was walking along a beach that looked strangely like the one on Namimori Island. I looked around. Not many people knew how much I really liked that place. I smiled a little and put my feet into the water. The wind blew through my hair and I pushed the brown locks out of my face._

_A familiar laugh made me turn around and see the illusionist. He looked much older than I remember, but of course, that was to be expected._

_His white shirt blew a little, along with his long blue hair. I smiled a little. "Welcome to my dream, Kanari-chan," he greeted, holding out his hand._

_"I thought you were dead. I came searching for you because I met two people who told me otherwise."_

_He shrugged. "It's all a part of the illusion, my dear Kanari-chan." Of course, I remember him being the drama queen he always was. "You didn't just come here to check up on me. You came to find out if what you saw was real, right?"_

_I nodded a little. "I saw what I did. I did horrible things, but Tsuna-kun was still able to smile at me and say that he didn't think it was my fault. Did I ever confide in you? Why I did it?"_

_Mukuro sighed a little. "Let's have a seat." I found myself sitting on a park bench. Namimori Park. "Well, to answer your questions, you told me some things, but never the entire picture."_

_Tucking my knees into my chest, I let my head rest on his shoulder. "What was I able to tell you?"_

_I felt Mukuro's arm hug me from the side. "You told me that you had to tell someone something. I assumed that you were forced to tell Byakuran all of the information you had on the Vongola's movements. You looked scared when you said that. I think he was forcing you."_

_"Anything else?"_

_Mukuro looked up and sighed. "The day before the meeting with the Millefiore, you came here and met me. You told me that you were meeting a few old friends for a friendly chat. You said that you had a bad feeling about the meeting. You knew something bad was going to happen. You just didn't think that it would result in the little Mafioso's death."_

_So I knew the entire time. "I…"_

_He looked down at me and asked, "If you had all of those memories given back to you, why did you need to ask me what happened?"_

_I put my head in my hand and replied, "There's certain parts of my memory that are clear as day, but other parts are like a hazy dream. I don't know what's real and what's not. I can't think straight when I try to pull up anything but what's clear." My head started pounding again when I said that._

_"You tried?" I nodded. "What did you try to remember?"_

_I sighed again. "Little things, stuff that would make someone like me happy. I tried to remember Kaito's first word or first step, or something like that. I tried to remember my graduation from Namimori Middle, or the day Tsuna really became the Vongola Juudaime. But nothing I didn't already see wasn't available."_

_Mukuro laughed a little. "Well, let's put that to the side for a while. There's someone here I want you to see." He beckoned to someone and a small figure came walking out of the mist surrounding the entire park. He was short, and very boyish._

_"Hayato?" I asked, staring at the boy._

_No, it wasn't Hayato. This boy had blue eyes, not green. "No, Kanari-chan. This is your nephew, Kaito Gokudera," Mukuro supplied._

_Kaito walked up to Mukuro and me. "Muku-chan? Who is this?" he asked quietly, staring up at me. He looked just like Hayato, except for the blue eyes. "Is she a friend of yours?"_

_Mukuro picked the boy up and put him on his lap. "This is you aunt, Kanari-chan. She's your mother's sister." That boy's name was Kaito Gokudera. The same name as my future son. My eyes widened. That was a lie from Mukuro, that he was my nephew. This boy was my future son. "You won't be able to see her for a while, but doesn't she look like you mother?"_

_The silver-haired boy nodded happily. "Yeah! But why can't I see her a lot?" He pouted childishly, and Mukuro chuckled. Even his pout made him look like Hayato. I smiled gently, but I didn't know what to tell him._

_"I'm not in the country right now," I found myself saying. Every word out of my mouth was a lie, but it was better than him knowing what actually happened. "But your mother asked me to make sure you're okay."_

_He smiled a little, but it soon fell off his face, leaving a look of hurt and disappointment. "You know what happened to my mom, don't you?" His voice was quiet and I exchanged a helpless look with Mukuro. "She and dad disappeared around a week after Tsuna-nii-san's death." I flinched a little. "They're dead, aren't they?" he whispered, looking down._

_Growing up in the Mafia probably robbed my son of his childhood. He probably was already a fighter, a Ring-bearer. I sighed. "No, they're not dead." At least, Hayato wasn't. "They just had to leave for a while. For business."_

_"I'm not stupid," he replied quickly, but sadly. "I know about certain Mafia weapons. Lambo-nii-san taught me about this… um, bazooka. A 10-Year Bazooka. It switches someone with their ten years future or past self. Are you my mother from the past?"_

_My eyes widened. He really was a smart kid. "Yeah… you inherited your dad's brains, didn't you, Kai?" He began crying. My look softened a little. "Come here." He crawled off Mukuro's lap into mine. "Right now, I'm only ten years older than you. But I won't lie. Your mother is my future self. Are you trained?"_

_He nodded. "Dad is teaching me how to use knives, like Bel-nii-san." Ah, Bel. "And I have a Rain Box Weapon named Bofuu. He's a bunny!" A bunny? "He's really cool, too! He can breathe fire and make huge waves!"_

_I smiled a little at his enthusiasm. "You're awfully quiet, Mukuro." He laughed a little and I looked up at his mismatched eyes. "What does he know about what's happening right now?"_

_Mukuro scoffed. "More than that cow-brat, that's for sure," the illusionist replied dryly, grimacing._

_I was about to reply, but a strong voice cut through my dream. __**"No. We're just taking a breather." **__I knew that voice…__** "The all-out attack in Italy and the raid on Melone Base in Japan… were a ton of fun." **__Byakuran.__** "I was able to witness the true strength of the Vongola squad. Very productive for a preliminary skirmish." **__What? Just a preliminary skirmish? This wasn't possible…__** "It was also entertaining to watch Sho-chan try to fool me at Melone Base."**__ So he knew all along that Shoichi wasn't really part of the Millefiore family?__** "Yep, it was plain as day. Though it was a good plan to use this battle as an opportunity to switch sides. And to be honest, I never expected you to join forces with the Vongola. But I knew you'd become my enemy one day, Sho-chan. After all, you've always disapproved of my actions, Sho-chan."**_

_I quickly covered Kaito's ears. He didn't need to know this yet.__** "Here we go. Well, do as you like. We'll soon see which one of us is right." **__Damn you, Millefiore!__** "Still, you have curious taste. Entrusting the fate of the world to the young and naïve Vongola Juudaime." **__Young and naïve? Tsuna is more of a boss than Byakuran would ever be!__** "Honestly, it would be simple to throw my resources at you relentlessly and whittle the Vongola down. But you've managed to entertain me so far. Besides, it hurts my pride as a leader when my second in command jumps ship." **__I saw Mukuro's hands clench into fists and his eyes narrow angrily. __**"So I figure we should have a proper match. An official contest between the Vongola Family, led by Tsunayoshi Sawada, and my Millefiore Family." **__What the hell? A _contest_? Of all things?__** "With the 7^3 Policy on the line, of course." **__No…__** "The timing is perfect… for a ceremony to bid farewell to Sho-chan and the old world and ring in a new one."**_

_The true shock came when Byakuran revealed that the five of the six Funeral Wreaths, including Rasiel, who was the one that we had faced, were not the real Funeral Wreaths. One by one, Byakuran showed their identities._

_This was all a game to him. I leaned down to Kaito. "Make sure to contact Mukuro in the future. Here. I'm giving you my phone number. Call me whenever you feel like it." I shoed him away, and he quickly gave me a hug and scurried off._

_"What's up, Mukuro?" I asked. I put a hand on his in hopes that he'd calm himself._

_He growled, "That bastard… Be sure get a hit in for me, Kanari-chan." He gave me a soft smile before fading. "I'll be waiting for you on the other side of the dream."_

I jolted up out of bed. Looking around, I noticed that I hadn't been sleeping for very long, even though it felt like hours in the dream. I shook the sleep out of my mind and walked downstairs. In the living room, everyone was standing there. When I showed up, they all looked at me.

"Ah! So Najika-chan has finally decided to show up!" Byakuran. "Hello again, Miss Najika Kamiya." Even though it was just a hologram, I could still feel his eyes boring into mine menacingly. "You know, your friends are going to die in this contest."

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><p><strong>Owari.<strong>

**It's short, and I'm so sorry about that. But this chapter was, and is, a very important turning point for Najika, Kaito, and Mukuro. It also introduces the first interactions between Najika and Byakuran that weren't memories.**

**And I've gotten a few notes, both reviews and PM's, about Najika's memories not being "traumatic" enough. They're supposed to be upsetting to her, not traumatic. See, Najika has already betrayed her friends once, during the Ring Battles, and a close friend of hers almost died because of her betrayal. For her to find out that, once again, she made the same mistakes and Tsuna actually _did_ die because of her tore her apart inside. Plus the fact that it caused everyone to start to hate her. Najika's biggest fear is being alone, if you haven't noticed yet. So the memories might not seem traumatic to you, but put yourself in Najika's shoes and try to imagine everyone you love pitting themselves against you, then knowing that you were the "reason" that this all began to happen.**

**For those of you that have watched or read the KHR series, then you know what _actually_ happened.**

**So... yeah.**

**Updates are coming steadily! Reviews are welcomed! Flames are used to warm up the hot chocolate!**


	20. Blacking Out

**Episode 20: Blacking Out  
><strong>**"Never wanted this, never want to see you hurt… Every little bump in the road I tried to swerve… People are people and sometimes it doesn't work out. Nothing we say is gonna save us from the fall out…"  
><strong>**-"Breathe" by Taylor Swift**

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><p>"You know, your friends are going to die in this contest."<p>

I glared at him, with his perfect smile still on his pale face. I wanted to smack that grin right off his face. "What are you talking about? No, they won't! Tsuna-kun will never lose to you!" He laughed loudly in response, startling everyone. Xanxus even looked up from his chair with a fierce glare at the image.

Byakuran grinned even wider and asked, "Do you really think your friends will be able to win?" I nodded. "That's foolish. The younger you is much stupider than I thought, Najika-chan. Just so you know… This wouldn't have happened if it wasn't for you," he spat out, still smiling.

My hands clenched into fists. "_I know._" His eyes opened and he looked at least a little surprised. "I know that I'm a selfish traitor. I know that I stabbed Tsuna-kun in the back one too many times. And I know… that I won't ever make that mistake again!"

"You're foolish," the white-hair snapped.

"No I'm not," I shot back, glaring again.

He frowned, narrowing his eyes. There was a pause, a silence.

Then, Byakuran asked, "Do you even know what you're doing, Najika-chan? What you _did_?" I shook a little, taking a step back as his vicious smile returned. "You came to me _willingly_ with that information. I didn't have to threaten you. You showed up at my doorstep, during one of your business trips to America and told me _everything_. About Tsunayoshi, about the Vongola, about you… about Hayato Gokudera." I froze, feeling my hands begin to shake. Seeming to notice this, he continued, "It was right after we graduated from college. Of course, you told me that your friend Tsunayoshi Sawada was planning to destroy the Vongola Rings, and you wanted me to know that. I knew everything that they were going to do before they did it. I won game after game, but they still asked for rematches."

I fell to my knees and shook violently, wrapping my arms around myself. My body shook in horror at what Byakuran was telling me. I shouldn't have believed him, since he was known for lying like that, but what if everything he was saying was actually the truth? I shook my head, trying to deny it to myself and to the people around me. "No… no, no… I wouldn't…"

"Yes, you did, Najika-chan. You gave me everything I needed. I knew all of those plans, and when you asked for me to meet with Tsunayoshi Sawada. I took that chance, and decided to tie up all the loose ends."

I couldn't help it. I started to cry. This just confirmed what everyone had told me. I was a traitor to the Vongola Family. I swiped at the hologram, my hand phasing right through the image created by light. "Leave me alone!" I shouted, my voice cracking harshly. "Get the hell away from me!" Byakuran chuckled a little. The hologram then disappeared, leaving no trace that he was ever there.

Bel knelt next to me, reaching a hand out to touch my shoulder gently. "Naji-hime… This isn't your fault," he said quietly, attempting to convince me out of my guilt.

Pulling away from him, I noticed my body shaking again. "Please don't touch me, Bel… I've got to go…" I stood up and stumbled towards my room again. I slumped onto my bed and began to cry again. I locked everything, even my bathroom door, and pulled the dark blankets over my head. I couldn't face anyone right now.

I remembered that Xanxus once said that the Vongola are one.

If anyone from the outside looked at us in that moment, they would see a strong, stable Family that stands together whenever the going gets bad. They would see a Family that would never betray each other, and would be such a tight-knit group that would always stand with each other.

But if someone from the inside looked, right there and then, they wouldn't see that. They'd see only some people standing together. There would be the Varia on one side. Tsuna, Hayato, Kyoko, Takeshi, and the rest of them would stand on another. Mukuro would be standing somewhere completely different, a side opposite from Hibari, and then Chrome, Ken, and Chikusa would always be near Mukuro. Finally, Basil, Lal, and the CEDEF with their backs turned from everyone, except Basil, who would be facing Tsuna.

As for me, I'd probably be in the background, watching, but not being. I wouldn't ever be able to forget what I'd done.

X Belphegor X

Not thirty minutes after Byakuran's message, Squalo and Lussuria had left to call the underground base in Japan, while Bel went upstairs to look for Najika. She looked pretty upset and scared when she left. Fran pulled him over. "I think you may want to hear this." He grabbed Bel's head, which made the blond glare, and pushed Bel's ear to Najika's door.

The first thing he heard from her room was the sound of crying. She really was torn apart. They had ten days before the main force in Japan would be fighting. Bel slid out one of his knives and growled at Fran, "Go get her something to eat." Fran nodded, although somewhat sarcastically.

It was most likely in response to the fact that it was Bel giving him the orders. He actually seemed genuinely concerned for Najika's safety.

When Bel finally used his knives to open the door, he found her on the floor in the corner of her room clutching a turquoise box. "Even now, Tsuna-kun was thinking of me. Even though I betrayed him and the rest of Vongola, he still tried to include me. This Box only proves what we already know." She laughed dryly. "Even after I betrayed him like I did, he still makes sure that I'm okay. I don't deserve this."

The Prince slid down next to her. "Look, if you wanna be down on yourself, go ahead. No one hates you, so just remember that, okay?" he snapped. "The Prince won't be very happy if you aren't."

That got a small smile out of her. "Thanks, Prince Bel." She leaned against his chest and asked, "Bel… Do you think I should go? You know, back to Japan to help… um, Tsuna-kun?" He heard the unspoken name that she never, ever said.

"No, that bastard is probably watching any way from Italy to Japan." She looked up at him, skepticism clear in her eyes. Bel simply sighed and admitted, "The Prince doesn't want his Princess to get hurt!" he exclaimed defensively. "I don't want you to leave yet." She smiled a little wider and hugged him.

She buried her head in his jacket and muttered, "I won't leave until it's time for the final battle. I should pay Byakuran back ten times what he gave me and everyone else I care about." Her voice was dripping with familiar venom, one that Bel remembered well, being saddened and frightened for her. She never lost herself like that, except when she was exceptionally hurt inside.

Bel lifted her head up so she was looking at him, his eyes looking directly into hers, despite the fact that his hair dangled in front of his vision. "Just promise me that you won't get yourself killed," he muttered seriously.

Najika smiled widely, grinning up at him, a slight red tint on her pale face. "I promise," vowed the girl, smiling even wider at him.

He knew he shouldn't have done it, but at that point, Bel couldn't help it. He'd wanted to do it for years, but she died in this time before he could. He'd been pushing back his feelings for ten years. No longer could he hold them back, not when she was right there, so close. Bel was known as a Prince, and Princes weren't known for their selflessness.

Leaning his head down, he let his lips gently brush against hers before pulling away. He almost laughed when he saw that she was a bright red. She glared playfully and tackled him, causing his competitive side to kick in and fight back, rolling around on the ground with her.

By the time they had finished their childish battle, Najika had ended up under him, giggling lightly, even when Bel smirked and leaned closer to her. He paused when his face was only just above hers.

He didn't really know why he was getting closer. He knew her feelings were for someone else, but he felt like he had to try. Those feelings were coming up again, and he couldn't help himself. She looked… so innocent. Bel wanted to reassure her that she wasn't alone. That she would always have him, no matter what happened.

Finally, after a long pause of hesitating, of thinking over his rash decision, he cut her soft laughter off, placing his lips directly over hers. Her purple eyes widened, but she didn't push him off. It was like she'd gone into shock.

When she didn't respond, he pulled away, biting his lip in a rare moment of hesitation. She looked as if she was still in shock and he sat up, pulling her up with him, all the while avoiding looking at her. With a small smile, she gently kissed his cheek. "I'm sorry, Bel… I just don't think I can return your feelings. I love you like a brother, but…"

"I know," he interrupted, his voice, for once, quiet. "You love Hayato Gokudera." He sighed. "I just thought that maybe, I still had a chance." He smirked grimly. "I guess I didn't." He should've known that he'd lose before the game even started.

She hugged him again, and he quickly returned her hug, burying his face in her hair. But a hand pushed him from his place in front of her, shoving the surprised blond to the floor. She just blinked at the sudden change in positioning. "You know that's sexual harassment, right, senpai?" the teal-haired illusionist named Fran asked flatly, putting a huge plate of pasta down on the table in the middle of the room.

Bel twitched a little before glaring at the Mist user. "Damn… you… _Fran!_" He pulled out his knives and hit the Frog in the back of his hat-covered head as the younger boy was turning away.

Looking back, Fran deadpanned, "That wasn't very nice, Bel-senpai. Throwing knives is no way to show that you love someone." Najika raised an eyebrow skeptically and Bel shook in anger.

He pulled out more of his knives and tossed them into the front of the frog hat. "I hate you, you damn frog!" Bel yelled, "You should knock, you know!" He tossed more into the hat.

Fran took each of the knives out and bent them before dropping them. "You're one to talk, senpai. You broke into Onda-sama's room and sexually harassed," he snapped dryly, his eyes staring blankly at the prince.

Bel growled, "You bastard… How dare you destroy the Prince's knives?!" Najika stepped in between the two.

A bright smile took over Najika's face. "I'm going to be okay now, you know that, right?" They both nodded, Bel still holding his knives threateningly. "Good. Now, stop fighting and come eat with me. This is way too much food for just me," she said, gesturing to the plate of pasta. Bel and Fran shrugged, then sent heated glares at one another.

_"You say good morning when it's midnight… Going out of my head, alone in this bed ~ I wake up to your sunset… and it's driving me mad, I miss you so bad and my- Heart, heart, heart is so jetlagged… Heart, heart, heart is so jetlagged… Heart, heart, heart is so jetlagged…"_

Bel and Fran looked for the source of the perky song and then, Najika pulled out her cell phone. "Hello? Basil-kun? Is that you?"

X Najika Kamiya X

Basil from the past was here? "Najika-chan! I… I am unsure of what has happened! I woke up in Spain, and I just got here, in Namimori! I'm outside Sawada-dono's house, and I-I… How in the world did I get here?"

He sounded panicked, desperate. I bit my lip. "Listen, Basil-kun. Don't worry about it. Tsuna-kun and Hayato and everyone else are in Japan. I can't help you right now; I'm in Italy. Just cover your Ring and block the signal. Like… freeze it or something. Find Tsuna-kun, but stay hidden! There's Millefiore operatives all over the place."

"Millefiore?"

I hesitated. "They're a Family with a lot of power in this time."

"In this time!?"

Sighing, I explained, "You've been transported ten years into the future in some way or another. The Tsuna-kun of this time is dead, and you have to keep your head down. The Millefiore wants to wipe out Vongola, and the only way that we can save ourselves was to bring in our past selves. Tsuna-kun will explain in detail; I don't know if the Millefiore is listening to this or not. Call me later!"

"Right!" he exclaimed. "Thanks for clearing that up. When I found the Ring, it had a small chain on it. I'll be sure to go find them!"

The dial tone rang in my ears. He'd be fine. I was surprised that he called me first, though. I guess it was desperation driving him to call me. "Who was that?" Bel asked, gesturing to the phone.

I replied, "It was Basil-kun. I guess that he was in Spain, and he was in need of some help." Bel nodded a little, but plucked a piece of spaghetti from my plate and swallowed it.

"Not bad, froggy."

"Thank you, Fake Prince." That earned Fran a few knives into his hat once again. "Ouch, Bel-senpai. That really hurt, and now there's creepy knives sticking out of my back…"

"You bastard… I'm going to kill you, Froggy." I let out a laugh. Those two would never stop…

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><p><strong>Owari.<strong>

**Still short. ;A; ****I have nothing to say about this.**

**Except Taylor Swift's new music isn't that great. ****But that's probably because it's annoying. ****I loved her album Fearless.**

**I changed my name. ****It's now "xWishfulThinking." ****Formerly "Akira the Wolf Girl." ****See my profile for more.**

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**Love you all!**


	21. Revival

**Episode 21: Revival  
><strong>**"Somewhere in my memory, I've lost all sense of time… And tomorrow can never be, 'cause yesterday is all that fills my mind. There's no use looking back or wondering how it should be now or might have been. All this I know, but still I can't find ways to let you go…"  
><strong>**-"Never Had A Dream Come True" by S Club 7**

* * *

><p>Constant e-mails and phone calls came through to my phone, most of them from a confused Basil, who wanted to know why I was in Italy. All Tsuna and Hayato would say would be that I was visiting some friends. I only left one message back, saying that he had to ask the other Guardians about what was happening, and that I would explain everything else when I had the chance.<p>

The other few were from Kaito, who wanted to chat an awful lot. His personality really reminded me of Hayato's, in almost every possible way. He was so adorable, and I almost couldn't believe that he was my future son. But there was one message that really struck a chord inside me..

_"Mom? It's me, Kaito again. I had to know… There's a man here that's around your age. He's got the same hair and face as me. Tsuna-nii-san said that he's the Storm Guardian, like dad does. And… the day that dad went missing, this man came to the base… And I-I have to know if he's my father!"_

I stopped in my tracks. The phone slipped from my hand and I simply stared at the wall. A hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my trance. Squalo was looking down at me, almost worriedly. "Voi! What's wrong, Onda?" he asked loudly.

Kneeling down to pick up my phone, I quietly asked, "Squalo, did I ever bring my son here?" His eyes widened and he slowly sat against next to me, not saying a word. I blinked in confusion as I looked at him. "I think that's a yes, right?"

"No… no, but we all have pictures. If I remember right, you named the illusionist girl as the kid's Godmother and Bel as his Godfather." I smiled happily, feeling tears well up in my eyes. "Did he contact you?" Squalo asked as I sat down right next to him.

I let my head fall back, feeling the wall thud against my skull. "He's figured out who his father was. I don't know how to tell him that Hayato is the past version of his dad." I sighed, rubbing my eyes, trying to convey my frustration.

Squalo shrugged. "Just tell the kid. Does it really matter how you tell him?" he asked. How insensitive…

"He's only four, Squalo. His mom is dead, and the only form of communication he has with her is with her past self. Now his dad's disappeared, and in place, someone that looks just like his father has literally suddenly has appeared in his dad's place." He paused. "Think about it. How would you feel?"

Squalo was, for once, quiet, as he replied, "I… I wouldn't know. My parents left when I was little. I never really had parents. I devoted my entire life to swordsmanship, only to lose to a middle school brat. It was then that I felt like I lost something important to me." He put a hand on my hair and ruffled it a little. "The future you meant a lot to all of us, even Xanxus, although the bastard will never say it." I smiled a little. "You brought back a little piece of sanity to our lives."

I looked down at the phone. The wallpaper was a roughly taken picture of Hayato and me next to the Namimori movie theater. I smiled a little. Now that I think about it, it was technically a really old picture, over a decade old. I would have to get a new one soon.

"As for the kid, he's lucky to know you," Squalo deadpanned. "You… I… we…" He stopped when I looked at him. "Look, just don't change who you are because of what that Millefiore bastard said, okay?" he demanded gruffly, standing up and walking away quickly, clearly embarrassed about his words.

_Squalo…_

I smiled at his kind words and looked at the phone in my hand. I opened it, my fingers hesitating over the keys. Shaking off the hesitation, I quickly dialed Kaito's phone number. It rang for a few seconds before I heard the telltale click.

His voice drifted through the line, into my ear. "Hello?" he asked.

Swallowing, I told him, my voice wavering slightly, "Kaito? It's mom. I… I just wanted to tell you that yes, Hayato Gokudera is your father. Just make sure you spend as much time with him as you possibly can, okay?"

His voice was really happy as he exclaimed, "Yeah! He went out with a bunch of other people, but he'll be back soon! And if Reborn-san says okay, can I show dad the house that we lived in?"

My breath caught in my throat and I began to choke up, the tears coming back to my eyes. "Of course. I'm sorry I can't be there, Kai, but take lots of pictures and send them to me!"

"I will, mom! Talk to you soon! I love you!"

"I… I love you, too, Kai," I choked out before he hung up. Pulling the phone away from my ear, I stared at it in disbelief. Kaito really thought of me as his mother, even though I was only ten years older than him. The twenty-four-year-old me would be a better mother than I was. Tears began to leak from my eyes and they streamed down my face as I began to cry, burying my face in my arms.

Black shoes stopped in front of my vision and a hand extended itself to me. I looked up, through tears to see green hair and almost blank eyes. "Onda-sama, stand up. It's not right for you to be sitting down like this. Someone could trip over you." Fran. "Besides, it's time for dinner."

X Hayato Gokudera X

Gokudera and the others stared at the huge house that sat before them. "This is it," Kaito announced. "I have one thing to say before we go in… I called mom." Everyone exchanged horrified looks. He was in contact with Najika? "And I know why you all are so familiar. You all came over at one point or another."

The baseball freak asked, "Even me?"

"Even you, Takeshi-nii-san," Kaito confirmed. "Chrome-obaa-chan, too. And sometimes Bel-oji-san, or Muku-chan, or Basil-nii-san!" They all knew why those three would come. Najika had a certain way of bonding with people. "Let's go inside. I'll give you a tour!" the little boy cheered, dragging Gokudera with him.

"Wait a second!" Gokudera protested weakly, trying, emphasis on trying, to pull his arm away from the small boy's grip.

Kaito stopped as he pulled a key out of his pocket. "Aniki… I know you're not Aniki. You're my dad… Mom told me everything… and I just really wanted you to see this."

Gokudera froze, then knelt down next to the boy. He put one hand on his silver hair and smiled a little. "Yeah, Kai. I'm your dad from around six years before you were born." Kaito smiled a bit and handed Gokudera the key. "Eh?"

He shrugged. "I can't reach the lock."

Sighing with a slight smile, the silver-haired Guardian inserted the key into the lock and turned. The lock clicked, signaling that it was open. Gokudera twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open.

"It's dark!" Juudaime commented, looking around crazily. "Ah! Wait, I found a light switch!" There was a click, and the lights flickered on.

To say that everyone's jaws dropped to the floor was an understatement. The threshold led to a giant hallway, with a crystalline chandelier hanging over it, dangling with light. The entire hallway illuminated, with torch-like lamps nailed to the wall.

Juudaime and the baseball freak stepped forward, everyone else following. Gokudera and Kaito stood at the back. "Welcome home, dad."

Gokudera just grinned down at the boy. "I'm home."

Kaito looked up at him, then looked back. "Let's explore. I can show you all around, if you want." Everyone agreed, and thus, the tour began.

The house was huge. There were two swimming pools, one indoors and outdoors, a huge kitchen connected to a dining room, and several guest rooms. There was a playroom, which I-Pin and Lambo quickly helped themselves too, Kaito's bedroom, which was decorated blue, and then there was the master bedroom. Gokudera pushed the double doors open, and his eyes widened. The walls were white and there was a huge sliding glass door that lead to a balcony.

Kaito ran up and opened it. "You and mom spent Sunday mornings here, watching the sunrise!" He smiled a little. "I came out sometimes, but only for an hour. Mom made me pancakes, and you played soccer with me and Uri." Uri? The devil cat? "Do you still have him?" Kaito asked playfully.

Gokudera nodded and was about to take the cat out of its box, but a loud voice exclaimed, "Woah! This room is huge to the extreme!" Turf-top… "Ah, Octopus-head!" he cried happily.

Kaito tugged on Gokudera's sleeve. He looked down at his son, who was looking anywhere but at him. "This was yours and mom's bed. I used to crawl in every morning before you had to get ready for work." He looked down and played with his T-shirt. Gokudera's eyes softened.

"Come here, kid!" He picked Kaito up, despite his protests, and collapsed onto the bed holding the boy. "Like this?" he asked, staring at the ceiling. Kaito nodded and clung to the front of Gokudera's sweatshirt.

He breathed out, "I love you, dad…" Gokudera's green eyes went wide, then softened by a lot, and he patted the four-year-old boy on the head, then slung him on his back. Tiny arms made their way around his neck as Gokudera shifted so Kaito was comfortable. Everyone was shocked; _this_ was Gokudera?

With one last look at the room, Gokudera memorized it. He was definitely going to make sure he could ensure this for the future. "Come on." Juudaime put a hand on his shoulder and nodded. "Let's go."

He walked out of the house without a second glance at the people behind him, who were staring in awe at his treatment of the child.

X Najika Kamiya X

I sat across from Xanxus, who was drinking beer steadily. I looked up at him. "Um…"

He cut me off, demanding, "Listen. Don't you dare let what that Millefiore bastard said get to you." Eh? "We can't afford to not have you on your best guard." Oh.

I smiled a little. "Sure, Xanxus. I'll try not to let myself get caught up in self-pity," I replied almost sarcastically, standing. "It was a little painful to hear, but I think I'm okay now. And… if that's all… then I'll see you later."

Xanxus glared up at me and snapped, "Sit." I shrugged and sat back down. "Just… don't get yourself killed, okay?"

Smiling wider, I jokingly quipped, "You make it seem like I'm going off to war." He sent me a look that told me I could very well be. I gulped a little and moved to stand. "Do you want me to go back to Japan?" I asked.

"No. It's too dangerous," he replied shortly. He didn't even have to say it; _end of story._ I smiled weakly and left the room.

Pulling out my phone, I quickly dialed Basil's number.

_Hello, this is Basil! I apologize for not being able to answer the phone, but I shall call thou back if thee would leave a message!_

I sighed. He was probably out cold. If he'd traveled from Spain to Japan, he was bound to be tired. I quickly typed an e-mail and sent it, closing my phone. It quickly rang again. I looked at the caller ID.

_Chrome Dokuro._

This was the first time she took the initiative to call me. I answered and asked, "Is that you, Kori-chan?"

"Where are you?" she asked desperately. "They're… Why are they being so nice to me?" she demanded quietly. I sighed. I forgot that she wasn't used to this kind of kindness from people. "I've done nothing to earn their kindness… But they're still trying!"

I took a deep breath. "Chrome, listen to me. We all think of you as our friend. We all love you and want you to be happy. That's what Mukuro would want." She made a surprised noise. "You aren't eating, are you?" I guessed. She wasn't eating well in the past, either.

She hesitated. "No…"

That's when I snapped. "Chrome, stop this! You'll die if you don't eat! Do this as a favor to me, if you're not going to do this for yourself! Tsuna-kun is bound to be worried if you never come out!" She squeaked a little. "Sorry… Just know that people are looking out for you because you're our friend. You don't need a reason to be kind. All you need is someone to be kind to. They chose to help you, so please accept it."

"Is that what happened to you?" she asked.

My eyes widened a little, but I laughed a bit. "Yeah. I was just a blind girl with no friends. I was a lot like you. I liked being alone, and since no one was ever very nice to me, I found it hard to accept. But Tsuna-kun and Hayato and Takeshi-kun asked me to eat with them because they saw me alone all the time, and they accepted me into their family. Now, they're some of the greatest friends I could ask for."

Chrome seemed to have cheered up a little. "I… I'll try to be better to them. They're going to such lengths to try and make me happy. I won't let Boss down."

I smiled a little, then remembered something. "I think you should know this, too. I saw Mukuro. He came to me in a dream." She gasped. "He's still alive, Chrome. He didn't tell me much, only that he was defeated by Byakuran."

She replied, "I… Thank you for telling me. I've got to go." Before I could get another word in, she'd hung up. I closed my phone and sighed.

X Tsunayoshi Sawada X

These past few days had been very changing for everyone. Basil came to, and had kept asking why Najika was in Italy since. Chrome finally came out of her room after at least a day of isolation, claiming that Najika and I-Pin had helped her learn to accept kindness. As for Gokudera, he had been spending more time with Kaito then anyone could account for. He'd finally accepted that little boy as his future son and was trying to make up for the time the boy was losing with his real father.

It was like Najika was changing everyone from the outside.

Kaito was still in contact with Najika. When Tsuna passed by Kaito's room at night, he could hear the four-year-old chatting excitedly, relaying the day's events to Najika.

Tsuna smiled to himself as he heard Najika's voice over the speaker. "That's great, Kai. Now, I've gotta go or Lussuria's going to throw a fit about not getting his food on time. It is a lot earlier over here." She giggled a little. "I'd rather not have to face the wrath of his peacock. Oh! But don't tell him I said that!" Kaito laughed. "Okay, so I'll talk to you later, hun. Goodnight."

"G'night mom!" Kaito cheered quietly. "Love you."

"… Love you, too, sweetie. Now make sure that you get enough sleep to be strong, okay?"

"Yeah! I'll do that!" he cheered, his voice bubbling with happiness. With that, the conversation ended, and he heard the click from Najika's end of the line. Tsuna backed away from the door and continued walking. Najika was working from the outside.

He was just glad she was still there, standing by their side and supporting them, even if it was only in spirit. He knew that she would come back soon. She hadn't abandoned them.

* * *

><p><strong>Atogaki.<strong>

**ZOMG WHY ARE MY CHAPTERS SO SHORT. orz**

**I fail at life, you can shoot me. m(TT^TT)m Forgive me, my loves. m(_ _)m**

**Anyways, I just wanted a fluffy chapter to ease all the tension. Ah... I'm really glad I hit 60+ reviews with last chapter, so please continue to leave your thoughts! I can't believe there's only 13 chapters left in this story, that makes me very happy. Oh, and if you haven't noticed, I changed my username, and I made a new homepage. You should check it out, and you should also follow my tumblr, please! Links to everything are on my profile.**

**I'm also really busy right now, so I'm very sorry if you think updates are inconsistent. Just leave a review telling me to get my ass moving and I will! Promise!**

**Thanks again, all. I hope you enjoyed _Rainbow Shooter_'s newest chapter!_  
><em>**


	22. Nevertheless Allowed

**Episode 22: Nevertheless Allowed  
><strong>"**Can't believe the words I hear… It's like an answer to a prayer; when I look around, I see… This place, this time, this friend of mine… I know it's hard, but you found somehow to look into your heart and to forgive me now. You've given me the strength to see just where my journey ends, you've given me the strength to carry on…"  
><strong>**-"No Way Out" from _Brother Bear_**

* * *

><p>X Byakuran X<p>

The white-haired man chuckled softly, pulling another marshmallow out of the plastic bag and popping it into his mouth with a slight grin on his face. It was all going far too perfectly, but that was the way he liked things.

Everything was going according to plan, down to the last letter. When those Vongola brats lost the Game of Choice, he'd get the Vongola Rings, the last piece he needed to complete that 7^3 Policy. He'd take back the Mare Rings and then, he'd be the creator of a new world, one that he could control forever.

Not even Najika Kamiya or Tsunayoshi Sawada could stop him now.

X Tsunayoshi Sawada X

A base. That was the last piece they needed to fill the requirements for the Choice Game. Tsuna's eyes widened. There was no way that they'd be able to make a base smaller than fifty square meters in time for the battle.

"Wait, I think I've got it." Gokudera stood, grinning triumphantly. "My future self's house was loaded with bedrooms and a huge control room, and I'm pretty sure it's only around forty-five square meters. Just add some stuff to it, and give us some weaponry, and we'll be set to go!" he exclaimed.

Irie looked thoughtful at this point, leaning back in his chair. "That would work, but the only thing is… it needs to be portable…" Gokudera looked a little put out as he sat back down, crossing his arms and staring at the ground. "Ah! But maybe Najika-chan stored some things in there," the former Melone Base head amended sheepishly.

Spanner nodded, a thoughtful look also on his face, his image on the screen blurring in and out a little bit. "Vongola, I'm coming over to your base tomorrow. We need to make this base great enough to ensure victory."

Tsuna sighed. This would be a challenge for the Vongola family.

X Najika Kamiya X

From what Basil had e-mailed me, the turquoise box I'd gotten from that little burst of light was a Vongola Box, made for us Guardians. I looked over to where it was sitting on my dresser and remembered when I received it. Sighing, I stood up to grab the box.

Turning the turquoise box in my hand, I smiled softly, feeling it softly shake in my hands as I aimlessly walked out the door of my room.

_I was sitting on my bed when a tiny little glow of light flew through the window. It was turquoise, like the Wave Flame. It dove right down towards me. I held out my hand and when the glow subsided, the box that was sitting in my hand was a small, turquoise box with the Vongola Crest on the four sides and a group of six seals on the top, where the Ring would go._

_This was probably from the Future Tsuna, wasn't it?_

I stared at the box in my hand, while I sat under a large tree in the Varia's backyard. Frusta was lounging at my side, napping lazily, while Vento was perched on a branch, high up in the tree, watching over us.

Putting the box down, I let Michi and Ryuu out, and they crawled onto Frusta's back. He flicked them a little with his tail, not wanting to move or get up from his place, all curled up at my side, but after a while, he gave up and let them rest there, however reluctant he seemed. I sighed and called, "Vento. Let's practice that new attack, okay?" Vento squawked and took off from his perch. I looked around for the familiar silver-haired swordsman.

The training field was relatively empty. Where was Squalo? But I did see a blond, crowned prince and a giant frog hat. Standing and starting over, my box weapons at my side, I called, "Bel, Fran! Where'd Squalo go?"

Bel simply turned and shrugged. "Our Strategy Captain left for Japan, apparently." I gulped. Oh, boy… Poor Takeshi was really in for it this time. "By the way, Boss wanted to see you again." Xanxus? This was the, what, third time this week? "What did you do to piss him off so much?"

"I didn't do shit!" I cried indignantly. "Maybe he's just having a bad week after Squalo left? After all, I'm pretty sure that he's totally in love with the Captain," I joked.

Fran smirked and Bel laughed, showing off his shining white teeth. "Don't let him hear you say that~ Or he'll probably kill you~" I laughed a little, shaking my head. "He said something about Vongola Training, whatever that is," Bel added, shrugging.

I looked down at the Vongola Box and sighed. That was probably what he wanted to train me for.

"I know, I know. See you later, Bel, Fran." He waved and went back to completely torturing the rookies. I sighed. He would do that to the poor guys. With Bel's training, it was learn fast or die.

Frusta and Vento looked up and followed me, keeping pace with me. Frusta, with Michi and Ryuu still on his back, rubbed his head against my leg, and Vento landed on my shoulder.

Pulling another box from my belt, I tossed it up and down in my hand, humming an old song to myself as I walked towards the Varia headquarters. I probably should say that Hikaru was not only a master at technology, but he'd figured out how to create Box Weapons. He gave me the first one that he made.

His name was Coperture. It was a Tartuga Mare de Onda, or a Wave Sea Turtle. He was a little… temperamental, so I didn't let him out often.

I opened Xanxus's door and asked, "Xanxus? I'm coming in." When I walked into the room, there he was, sitting in his throne, drinking whiskey, or beer, or some other alcoholic beverage. I sighed – had Bel been messing with me again? "Bel told me that you wanted to see me? Something about the Vongola Training."

He stood. "You got a Vongola Box. Read this," he demanded, tossing me a large, heavy-looking envelope. "It's from that damn wimpy boss of yours. The one from this time," he scoffed.

The envelope had the Vongola crest stamped onto the front of it, and my eyes widened when I flipped it over. "Najika Kamiya" was written on it in messy kanji, as if Tsuna was rushing to finish this and make sure I'd get it.

The stamp on it said, "Deliver to the Varia," and that's when I knew. This was planned out from the beginning by the future Tsuna. It must've been a plan between him and me He knew that he was going to die, or at least suspected it, and he planned all of this to go this way. We were brought here to defeat Byakuran because he made it that way.

He must've known about my betrayal from the start.

Inside the envelope were a thick booklet and several letters, all of which were addressed to me, or at least, to my future self. I ripped open the only one that had the Vongola Crest on the front and Tsuna's messy chicken scratches scrawled in ink onto the back.

_Dear Najika,_

_I should've known that you were going to go to the Varia, especially after hearing what the others think. Just know that I never blamed you for betraying us, and I want you to know everything you need to about those boxes._

_The Vongola Boxes are Box Weapons specialized to your traits and talents. Your Wave Box is included in that. We all possess one. What you need to do is convey your feelings towards it when you first open it._

_Just be careful; if you have nervous or bad feelings towards the Box, it will attack you. Your future self wrote you that book, explaining everything you knew about Byakuran, as you were college friends. Every last personality detail and what you knew from what he told you is written in that book, and only you can read what's inside it. You have to know Byakuran best if you want to succeed._

_Good luck._

–_Tsunayoshi Sawada, Vongola X_

How did Tsuna know about me being from the past, and betraying the Vongola? I shook of the strange feeling and picked up the thick booklet. The book wasn't labeled, and the only thing on the first page was, "This book is property of Najika Kamiya."

I looked up at Xanxus, who was glaring at the floor. "So… does this mean…" I began slowly, flipping through the pages. I narrowed my eyes,

"Open the damn box first," he snapped. "I want to see what the hell I'm working with before I watch you fuck up."

X Hayato Gokudera X

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number that was familiar, yet strange. "Hey, Najika? It's me," he said.

She giggled a little. "Hayato. I was waiting for you to call me. I'm sorry that I'm not there for today's battle. Tell Byakuran why, okay?" She sounded so… happy. What happened? She was empty and sad when she left the past and the Melone Base. She was laughing again… Not that it was a bad thing.

"He… he said that we'd be disqualified if not everyone from the past showed up. You have to come," Gokudera protested weakly. He knew she'd never be there on time for the match, but it was worth a try.

"I'll never make it in time, not even with Chiarore. Just make sure to knock him into next Tuesday, okay?" she asked happily. "I still have some searching to do. I have to find my own power. Besides, I already sent Byakuran a message he'll never forget."

He flinched a little. "Do I want to know?"

She laughed a little. "I just told him that I was sorry that I couldn't be there to see him get his ass handed to him!" Gokudera sighed. Of course, she would say that to a guy who has enough power to take over the world. "And I told him why. I told him that I couldn't face you guys yet. I told him that I'm not ready to be known as a Vongola Guardian. I still have a long way to go."

Gokudera sighed. "I get it. What did he say?"

He could practically hear the smirk on her face as she replied, "He said that he'd excuse me this one time. You guys just have to win, okay?"

"Yeah. I'll talk to you later, Najika." He hung up without hearing her say goodbye. He couldn't take another word without seeing her face. He wouldn't be able to keep his head on straight if he heard her speak once more. He sighed again, rubbing his eyes. It was the morning of the battle. He slipped his phone into the breast pocket of his suit and looked down.

Juudaime asked, "So what did she say?"

Looking up, he replied, "She said that she wouldn't be participating, and that Byakuran allowed her a pass."

The determined look on Juudaime's face slipped off, replaced by a disappointed look. "No way… she won't make it, even if she leaves right now… Well, at least we won't get disqualified for not having her with us."

The rest of the room grew silent. It was quiet for quite a while until the giant screen in the middle of the room lit up. "Hello everyone." A head of brunette hair appeared on the screen, purple eyes staring at them all. "I'm sorry I couldn't make it," the familiar Wave Guardian apologized.

"Najika-chan!" Juudaime exclaimed happily. "Where are you?"

She smiled weakly, and Gokudera noticed the bruises on her face. "Training. It's tougher than it looks, especially since Bel's tossing knives at the newbies every chance he gets. Good thing that I finally got the hang of that turtle. Anyways, that's not why I called." Najika's face turned darkly serious. "I have faith that you'll win, but just to be safe, I'm going to give you three hints about Byakuran."

"_Eh?!_" She nodded. "Three hints? How do you-?" Juudaime was cut off when Najika shook her head.

"I can only tell you the hints." She sounded apologetic. "Just make good with what I give you."

Juudaime nodded. "Okay, then…"

"The first thing you should know is that if he says one thing, he's bound to be able to twist it. Think of every possibility before answering anything. The second thing is that he's powerful, and so are the Funeral Wreaths. Their Box Weapons are currently undefeated, but then again, so are yours. The final thing I can tell you is that my past, or future, with him may help you. He and I… were the two best students in the college. The only thing you need to know from that is that he shows no mercy, even to his friends. He may just betray his own people." She waved a little. "I gotta go before Xanxus decides to fry me. Good luck."

With that last wave, the screen went black. Everyone looked at each other in some shock. How did she know all that? As she said, the future self had a past with the Millefiore leader.

They could only trust her word as they headed off to battle.

X Najika Kamiya X

Xanxus had pushed me into the Varia's computer room and locked the door, only leaving the instructions to look up as much information as I could on the Arcobaleno and the Funeral Wreaths. I grumbled a little.

What I knew was that there were seven Arcobaleno, five of whom were dead. Verde, the Lightning Arcobaleno, Mammon, or Viper, the Mist Arcobaleno, Colonello, the Rain Arcobaleno, Fon, the Storm Arcobaleno, and Skull, the Cloud Arcobaleno. I knew that the future Reborn was also dead, but the Reborn from my time was still alive and kicking.

As for the Sky Arcobaleno, her name was Yuni. She was, apparently, working for the Millefiore. Yuni was Aria's daughter, but her father was not listed on her birth certificate. Her current whereabouts were unknown. I bit my lip. That was too little to go on, and the fact that she was on Byakuran's side was concerning.

What I found out about the Funeral Wreaths was simple. They all had a group of Rings known as the Mare Rings, and their records disappeared around eleven months ago, around the time when Byakuran appeared as the Millefiore Boss.

All that I knew were their names, their Flame attributes, and how powerful they were. Kikyo, the leader, was Cloud, Torikabuto was Mist, Bluebell was Rain, Zakuro was Storm, Daisy was Sun, and the only one that I knew was inactive was Ghost, the Lightning Funeral Wreath.

I also knew that they were unfortunate people. Bluebell was stuck in a wheelchair after her brother died in a car accident, in which she also lost her mobility. Kikyo had been pushed around by his parents, and eventually was placed in a rough job that never got him anywhere. Zakuro had lost everything, going from a successful business manager to a man on a downward spiral from drugs and alcoholism. Daisy was written off as mental. Ghost and Torikabuto were both criminals, and Ghost was still being held prisoner in Vendicare Prison.

I frowned. Mukuro was there, too…

But the more I read about these unfortunate people, the more I felt for them. By the time I finished reading their biographies, I almost felt… bad for the Funeral Wreaths. They suffered hard lives, too. I sighed. These people had a total hatred for this world, and would be powered by that hate, and wouldn't be easy to defeat.

_Hayato, Tsuna-kun, good luck!_

X Hayato Gokudera X

They'd chosen what they needed. The field was lightning. The players were Juudaime, the baseball freak, the two former Millefiore, and himself. They were up against the Millefiore's Cloud, Mist, and Sun, as well as an extra Cloud member. The Targets were Irie and the Millefiore Sun.

The Battle of Choice was beginning.

* * *

><p><strong>Atogaki-<strong>

**I know, I know, I'm a failure at life. But I've been dead. School has been stressing me out so much. Omo, I actually want to cry. I've been so dedicated to my schoolwork that I've been losing touch with everything else that has been important to me.**

**But here's the next chapter! I really rushed to finish this, which is why it's so short. I just hope I'll be able to make the next one longer... /crying inside. Omo omo...**


	23. Time and Consequence

**Episode 23: Time and Consequence  
><strong>**"Why give up? Why give in? It's not enough; it never is. So I will go on until the end. We've become desolate. It's not enough; it never is. But I will go on until the end."  
><strong>**-"Until the End" by Breaking Benjamin**

* * *

><p>I knew that his battle would be difficult for them to win. I didn't know if they'd come out alive. I sighed and opened Frusta's box. He came out in a burst of fire and sat at my feet, obediently looking up with bright eyes. In response, I sunk down next to him, stroking the leopard's sleek fur. "Frusta, I don't know what to do…" I confessed, feeling tears start to come to my eyes. "Squalo is still missing, and I can't open this stupid Vongola Box! I want to help Tsuna-kun, but right now, I'm just a hindrance."<p>

Frusta growled in reply, pawing at my leg. He was telling me to get up and try again, to not give up. Wiping my eyes, I nodded, a new determination shining within me.

"I know, I know. Let's try this again."

I stood up and ran outside, Frusta right at my heels. I ran to the Training Field, where Bel and Fran were sparring. Levi was injured and Lussuria was out shopping, so Bel and Fran had taken over training once more. I pulled out the turquoise box that had flown through my window and held up my Ring, my hand clenching into a fist.

I would open the Vongola Box. I had to. For my friends and family... and for Hayato.

X Basil X

Basil winced at the battle, and looked to his pocket, where his phone was. He'd called Najika so many times in the past few weeks, but she only ever told him that she'd explain everything when she could. Kaito was next to him holding onto his hand tightly.

The CEDEF operative bit his lip and looked back at the screen. Sawada-dono had won against Torikabuto, and now, Yamamoto-dono was fighting the Phantom Knight in a rematch. Squalo had taught him well, and the Vongola actually had a chance to win.

Basil had to tell Najika. She'd called him right before they left, begging him to keep them all alive, even if it meant dragging them out of the smoke. She didn't know that he couldn't keep his promise. He couldn't go outside of the audience's hut. He tugged his cell phone out of his pocket and flipped it open. His heart sank at the two words printed on his background.

_No Service._

Something tugged at his sleeve. He bent down next to Kaito, who was watching the screen intently. "Will Takeshi-nii-san be okay, Basil-nii-san?" the little boy asked worriedly. "He looks like he's having a tough time…"

Basil tried to put on a wide smile for the little boy. "Of course, Kaito-kun. See? He's doing just fine!" Kaito turned back to the screen and watched as the Rain Guardian took on the Phantom Knight.

X Najika Kamiya X

For days I'd been training with my Box Weapons, but whenever I opened the Vongola Box, it just wouldn't listen to me. Frusta gave up at one point and attacked the damn thing, only to have it retreat back into its Box. I sighed. It was kind of fragile, and also sort of cowardly. I guessed it just didn't want to listen to me because it didn't recognize me as its true master.

But Coperture, Frusta, and Vento, along with Michi and Ryuu, all recognized me as the owner of the Box Weapons. Why wouldn't this Vongola Box listen to me? I was doing everything that Tsuna had told me to do…

I was even putting all of my good thoughts and feelings into it. It just wouldn't listen to anything I said. I sighed and propped myself up against the wall, looking at the box. Frusta's golden eyes watched me almost sadly.

"Why can't I open this thing, God damn!" I cried, tucking my legs to my chest.

X Basil X

He'd won…

Takeshi Yamamoto had actually defeated the Phantom Knight, Genkishi.

Basil stared at the screen in horror as Kikyo defeated and killed his own teammate at the command of Byakuran. Kaito gasped and Basil pulled the four-year-old to his side, covering his eyes from the sight. That bastard… He really had no heart. He was willing to sacrifice someone to win the game. This Choice Game was really the end of the line for many.

The Phantom Knight was dying, and there was nothing anyone could do except look away. Even as he was dying, he refused to believe that Byakuran would kill him. He believed that Byakuran would save him from Kikyo's bellflowers. Kaito visibly winced at the pitiful pleas for help.

But Byakuran never came.

No one ever came to save him.

Everyone looked down as Genkishi exploded into mist. Out of both respect and shock, everyone, even Hibari-dono, looked away. Najika was right; Byakuran had betrayed his own team. Kaito looked down and shook, his Rain Ring visibly glinting a bright blue in his anger.

No one would ever forgive Byakuran for what he'd done.

They would win, not for the sake of the world or the 7^3 Policy, but to avenge what Byakuran had done to everyone. Vongola had the advantage at the moment. Torikabuto and Genkishi were defeated, and the Millefiore was down to Kikyo and Daisy, who was the target.

The Vongola still had Sawada-dono, Irie-dono, Spanner-dono, Yamamoto-dono, and Gokudera-dono. Sawada-dono and Yamamoto-dono were going to go after Daisy, while the other three were going to defend against Kikyo, who was still distracted with the decoys. Basil smiled to himself. This may just be the end of Byakuran and his reign over the world.

X Najika Kamiya X

I collapsed once again against the giant tree. Pulling out my phone, I checked for any messages from Basil, or Hayato, or Kaito, or anyone of the force in Japan. Nothing, not even an e-mail had been sent from anyone. Where were they that they couldn't send me word that they were okay?

I at least knew that Squalo was with them, seeing as he hadn't come back from whatever he was doing in Japan. I also thought that Dino was with them, and Reborn, and Bianchi. They were strong, so why was I worrying so much?

All I knew about that game they were playing was that it was a game that required a lot of thought and a lot of luck. Tsuna's intuition was bound to help them out, and Shoichi's experience with the Millefiore would be a huge asset. The game of Choice was a deadly game. I didn't know the rules, or, I didn't remember them. I did remember playing a game with Shoichi and Byakuran, and I remembered…

Only one side could win.

"Damn!" I shouted, curling into a tiny ball. "Damn it all!" Strings of profanity came out of my mouth, earning me strange looks from all the Varia soldiers that were listening to Bel, who was taking the place of Squalo as the rookie trainer. "This sucks!"

Then something hit me, as if I was shot right through my midsection.

_No…_

They'd lost, hadn't they? And for some reason, I could feel who I thought was hit. Everything in my body told me one thing.

It told me that Shoichi Irie was dying...

My mind blanked out. Two arms picked me up and began to carry me inside as tears flowed down my face. I couldn't help it. I looked up through my blurry vision and saw Bel's face wavering in and out of my sight. He was frowning, and he looked… worried.

"We're all going to die," I whimpered, letting my head fall back to face the sky. "They lost. It's all over now. We're… we're as good as dead…"

Bel put a hand on my forehead and his frown deepened. "You're burning up. Be quiet and let me help you for once!" I huddled into his chest and continued to cry silently, cursing myself mentally for my weakness. It was then that I pieced it together in my mind and then, I knew what Shoichi had done in my time. He was the one who had met Lambo, the holder of the 10-Year Bazooka. He was the one who had started this so many years ago... even if it was only an accident.

Now, it seemed like he was paying the price for it.

X Hayato Gokudera X

"What about Najika?" he couldn't help but ask. Gokudera knew that Juudaime wasn't really dead, but what about the girl he fell in love with? "Did she really die?"

Irie looked away sadly. "… Yes. I didn't anticipate her death. No one did. She really did die, in most all of the worlds. The few worlds that she did survive in, you died, Gokudera-kun. She ended up committing suicide in all of those worlds. Any other world that she fell in love with someone else… Her destiny isn't to live in any of those worlds but the one that you will create. No parallel world can be destroyed, but you can create new choices."

Gokudera's eyes went wide with shock. She died in _every _world? Why? Why wasn't her fate to live important? She had to live. For him, for Kaito…

Kaito. The little boy looked horrified at the prospect of his mother dying in every world. Gokudera pulled him away when he threatened to cry. He whimpered, "Mom dies in every single world? I don't want that to happen!"

Looking at his future son, the Storm replied, "I won't ever let that happen."

X Najika Kamiya X

I was lying in my bed, being looked after by Fran, as Bel was called away on a mission. He wasn't to happy about it, but he told Fran that he was to make sure I didn't get worse, or Bel would kill him. Fran agreed, however unafraid he was of Bel.

I was simply staring at the ceiling, waiting for a miracle. Every time that I closed my eyes, I saw something different. It always ended in death, though. First Tsuna, then Basil, then Bel and the Varia… all of the Guardians, and finally, a green-haired girl that I didn't know… they all died.

Finally, I saw Hayato's death. His was by far the worst. I cried out in pain when I saw Byakuran blast a hole right through him. I shot up in the bed. Fran, who was sitting in a chair near the window, immediately rushed over and pushed me back down. "Don't strain yourself, Onda-sama. You're sick."

"Let me up!"

He pulled the blankets over my head and snapped, "You should really go to sleep, Onda-sama. You're going to get worse."

I pushed them off of me and pushed Fran away. "Shut up, Fran! I keep seeing these awful things… I just want to go see Tsuna-kun and Hayato! They're suffering!" I cried, picking up the boxes.

"Then I'll tell you that I'm going to break your friend Mukuro out. I'm his student, and I'm going to have to break him out, or your friends will lose." I looked at him in shock. "You should go, if you want to."

I smiled at him. "Make sure you leave right after I do, or Bel will really murder you," I called back. I closed my fist to light my Flames, but no blue fire appeared on the Ring. "What?" I tried again, but still, I wasn't able to light my Flames. "What's happening to me?" I asked, staring at my hands.

"You fucking idiot!" A very angry Xanxus burst through the door and stormed towards me, ignoring Fran's deadpan protests. "You… you overused your damn power!" he yelled, heaving me up by my collar. "Now you're never gonna open your fucking Vongola Box!"

Choking, I replied, "All you have to do is let me go back to Namimori."

He growled a little and dropped me unceremoniously and turned away, snorting. "You have to rest your power now. Your Flames drained, and since you used so many Flames, your body can't handle it very well, and you're getting closer to dying."

A loud slam interrupted all of us. "Naji-hime!" Bel burst into the room. "What the hell are you doing up?" he demanded, pushing me over to the bed.

Xanxus pulled him back. "Get the fuck out, trash. You, too!" he aimed at Fran, who shrugged and walked out. Bel followed reluctantly, sending me one last glance before leaving. "Come on. I have to train you just a little bit more."

He practically dragged me out of the room and down to the Training Field. "Why? Why am I so damn useless now?"

"You overdid it," Xanxus replied shortly. "You have to learn to not have to use your Flames If you really want to survive this." He took out his gun and smirked. "Let's get started… Onda."

X Hayato Gokudera X

Gokudera left to his room and collapsed on his bed. What an awful day he'd had… he'd found out that there was nothing that he could do to avoid Najika's death. She was going to die, and there was absolutely nothing he could do to save her.

He sat up suddenly and looked at his Ring. "I will never allow that to happen," he vowed quietly. "She won't die as long as I'm here."

What he didn't know is that just by uttering those words, he created several possible worlds for the two of them. Just by saying that he wouldn't let her die, he made a promise that would allow more worlds to be made that would change Najika's future. Some would be better, others even worse, but he made sure that she would have a better future than what she had in the current world.

But then he remembered – he had a choice. He could choose to save Najika. He would. Living in a world without that girl was like asking for death to come and capture him itself.

Damn. He really must've loved her for him to react in this way, so violently and so determinedly. The last woman he'd ever cared about… was his mother. And she died, so violently, so suddenly. Gokudera would never let that happen to Najika. Not now, not ever. She had a future, one that was bright, even if it was only him that could see it.

He saw her smiling and laughing as she walked down the halls with the rest of the Guardians. He saw her blushing as he asked her to marry him. He saw her and Kaito, standing in front of the house, waving to welcome him home.

That was a feeling he would never forget.

Gokudera was not prepared to let go of that feeling anytime soon. And with it, he wasn't prepared to let Najika go, either.

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><p><strong>I really dislike this chapter. (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻<strong>

**I hate it so much. ┬──┬◡ﾉ(° -°ﾉ) - random person**

**THAT I'LL FLIP A PERSON NOW TOO. (╯°Д°）╯︵/(.□ . \) - same random person**

**Haha, I actually do hate this chapter, though. I feel like it's so rusty... -shudders- Ahaha, anyways... this story will come to a close within another ten chapters or so. I'm hoping to break 100 reviews by then, so please review! (づ｡◕‿‿◕｡)づ Daebak~!**

**Fighting~!**

**Oh, also, head to my profile and take my poll! The series that will stem from that poll will be pretty short. All the series that I've listed there are pretty short. K/K Project, Zetsuen no Tempest/Blast of Tempest, Kuroko no Basuke/Kuroko's Basketball, Durarara!, and Psycho-Pass. I recently got really into those series, please forgive me for taking on so many projects.**

**ﾍ(￣ ￣;ﾍ)**


	24. Peace

**Episode 24: Peace  
>"All the words that I said that I wouldn't say. All the promises I made that I wouldn't break. It's last call, last song, last dance, 'cause I can't get you back, can't get a second chance."<br>-"Don't Wake Me" by Skillet**

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><p>I panted and fell to my knees, clutching my side in pain. I collapsed and spat out, "I give up… Just end it now!" A shadow stood over me, glaring down at me. I stared, barely intimidated by this man. "Why don't you just let me give this one up…?" I panted, my eyes struggling to stay open.<p>

"I'm not gonna kill you, trash."

Of course. I sighed and sat up, looking up at Xanxus, who was glaring. "Look, I feel like I've just run five marathons and then fought in a war. We've been training for six hours straight."

He scoffed. "Your Flames are getting better, aren't they?" He was right. After the second hour, I was able to light my Flames again. They were getting stronger, more resilient, thanks to all of the intense training. I groaned and fell back. He heaved me up. "Once more. Bring Bester down this time!" he snapped.

Pouting, I moved to open Frusta's box. "Come on, Frusta! Let's-!" Xanxus had grabbed my hand and pushed the Ring into the Vongola Box. "What?!" I exclaimed. I still couldn't control the damn thing!

The Varia boss sent a chilling glare at me as he dropped my wrist. "Just do it," he snapped.

The six seals on the top of the box began to glow. The box popped open and a bright flash of sea-blue flew out and around Bester, who growled and swatted at the tiny burst of Flames. When the Flames landed at my side, a tiny fox with nine tails, all different shades of turquoise and a collar with the Vongola Crest on it landed near my feet. It growled and hissed at Bester, then sat down at my feet.

It was a Wave Nine-Tailed Fox, or Volpe Munita Nove de Onda.

It looked up at me with acknowledgement that wasn't in its eyes before, and I said to it, "I'm going to call you Nove for short, okay?" It nodded, then looked back at the Sky-Storm Liger, ready for battle. "Okay, so now, we have to beat Bester. Let's do this!"

Nove growled and lunged at Bester, who swatted the fox back. She squeaked and then stood shakily. Her collar shone a bright turquoise, and she disappeared in a bright flash. A burst of blue Flames flew from nowhere and struck Bester in the side over and over again. Bester roared at the fox, but she reappeared behind him and bit down on his back hard.

"Stop," Xanxus demanded. Nove bounded over to me and I picked her up. "You won this time. Your Box Weapon is strong, but why is it a different animal from your others?" he questioned. I looked at Nove and shrugged; I knew he knew the answer, so what was the point? "For fuck's sake, you idiot! Your box is different because in its Cambio Forma, it's more a supporter than a weapon. The Vongola Box is connected to your other Boxes. The damn fox of yours can control the other Box Weapons without your help."

My eyes widened. "So…" I opened the other Boxes, and Frusta, Vento, Michi and Ryuu, and Coperture all came out. "Let's see what this Cambio Forma can do! Frusta, you're up!" The leopard nodded and jumped. Nove yelped a little and Frusta glowed a turquoise equal to the glow of Nove's collar.

What landed in my hands wasn't Frusta, but a oversized sword with a leopard spotted handle. This was Frusta's Cambio Forma? It was huge! His Cambio Forma was almost as tall as me! He was really wide. But to my surprise, Frusta wasn't heavy. He was lighter than I thought he'd be.

"Thanks, Frusta." The sword twitched and jumped out of my hands, turning back into a leopard and mewing. "Next, Coperture!" The turtle let out a small roar and shifted into a shield. It looked like the outside of a turtle shell with the Vongola Crest in the middle of it. "Okay! Now Michi and Ryuu!" Their form was a huge machine gun. It was easy to use, as I quickly learned. "Finally, Vento!" He was a scythe, like how his wings sharpened. I smiled, allowing Vento to assume his hawk form once again. Each time, Nove had let out a mewl or a squeak, and the Flame around the weapons grew larger.

Xanxus stood with his arms crossed. "So those are your Box Weapon's Cambio Forma. What you have is known as the Ultimate Weapon System," he explained in a bored tone. I looked down at my Box Weapons, who all were looking up happily. "I guess I have nothing more to teach you."

I stood and Nove scurried onto my shoulders. "Thanks, Xanxus." All of my Weapons retreated into their Boxes around my waist, save for Nove, who stayed on my shoulders. "I'm really grateful for everything you've done for me."

He scoffed. "Just don't fuck it up now," he snapped. "I'm going back inside." He stormed off, leaving me in the empty Training Field.

Nove leapt off my shoulders and pawed at my leg. I looked down at her and she nodded and used her tail to point at the sword course. I knew what she wanted. Opening Frusta's Box, I ordered, "Cambio Forma!" The giant sword landed in my hands, and Nove turned into the bright Flame once again, and then disappeared into the sword. When I looked down at the handle, I saw that Nove's nine tails were wrapped around the base of the blade, and she was covering the handle.

Lifting the huge blade, I sprang at the training dummy and slashing it in half. I swirled around and hit another, cutting it straight in two. A sea-blue Flame shot from Nove's tails and up the blade, encasing it in a blue fire. I closed my eyes and raised the sword. "Lama Mare!" I raised the sword in an arc, a wave forming after it, and I swung it around, having the wave cut through the circle of dummies.

Standing, I let Frusta and Nove turn back into their animal selves. I smiled and patted them both, Nove climbing back onto my shoulder. Bel's voice called, "Ah~ There's Naji-hime!" I turned to see him running towards the three of us. "Doing more training?" he asked, looking at the three of us. I nodded sheepishly. "Well, come on. Squalo's just called from the Vongola's base."

I sighed and followed the blonde Varia inside.

**X Basil X**

It was near dinnertime, and Sawada-dono had just called an emergency meeting. Basil bit his lip and put away his cell phone. Now that they were outside the Choice Island, he would be able to contact Najika, but as they were leaving to go to the device that Irie and Spanner had created, footsteps rang behind them.

"Just so you know…" Everyone looked up to see a familiar brunette Wave Guardian standing in front of them. "… I know what's going on, and you're not leaving me behind this time." Najika was back, and next to her, stood a fox with the Vongola collar on its neck. "Squalo called. Something about you lost? Seriously, if not for the fact that we need you guys, I'd kill you myself."

Basil chuckled. "It's good to have thee back, Najika-chan," he said, smiling softly.

She returned his smile easily, but said, "You're speaking old Japanese again… I miss when you spoke modern." He flushed a bit and stepped out from in front of Gokudera-dono. "Hey there, Hayato."

He nodded. "Hey… Najika-chan." Then an awkward silence fell between the two. The whole room could feel that both of them were struggling to say something, but couldn't say it. Basil sighed and nudged Gokudera-dono in the back. The Storm Guardian glared at the CEDEF member, who shrugged innocently. The silver-haired teen grumbled, but turned to Najika. "I… I missed you."

Basil almost fell over. That was it?! That was what he wanted to say?! He groaned aloud. "Please do not take offense to this, but that was… pathetic," he muttered.

"I'd like to see you do better, Basil," Gokudera-dono snapped. "I mean… it's like, hey, welcome back, and I think you should know that I almost died-!" He cut himself off; Najika didn't know about the Choice Battle…

They both turned to look at Najika, who's face had turned dark. "Yeah, I heard that already, you idiot!" She moved forward and punched Gokudera-dono in the gut. He fell over, holding his stomach in pain. "That was for almost getting yourself killed!" she cried. Then she knelt down and hugged him. "And this is for making sure that no one else got seriously hurt."

Gokudera-dono quickly returned her hug before pulling away. Basil hid his laugh behind his hand. He'd clearly not wanted for anyone else to see a moment of his private life, although Sawada-dono had already told him that Gokudera-dono had kissed Najika in front of everyone.

Yuni had witnessed it all. She wasn't really looking at the moment between the favored couple in the Vongola X Guardians. She was staring in shock at Najika, as if the brunette was someone she knew about, but didn't believe existed. "Najika… Kamiya…?" she asked slowly. "The Wave Guardian?"

Najika looked up and nodded. "Yes. May I ask who you are?" she asked. Seeming a little suspicious of Yuni.

She smiled. "My name is Yuni," she explained happily. "I've heard so much about you, but… I thought it was all rumors!" Najika looked at the green-haired girl, confused, and the green-haired girl shook her head. "You've been so great in these past few years… It's a shame what happened."

Shrugging it off, Najika looked to Sawada-dono. "Is Lal-san okay?"

He nodded. "She's doing better." Najika sighed in relief. "But what about you, are you okay?" She smiled weakly. "Squalo told us what Xanxus told him; that you got really sick for some reason…"

"It was only a passing fever," she replied, brushing it off as if it was nothing. Basil's eyes narrowed. It wasn't nothing. Najika was only trying to not worry Sawada-dono. "I'm okay now, see?" She turned to see Spanner and Irie walking over to the group. "Hey, Spanner. I'm glad to see you're okay."

The blonde smiled over at her, waving. "I'm okay, but Shoichi's still resting." She nodded. "What about you? I heard you were hurt." She shrugged, and even though Spanner looked suspicious, he continued, "Well, I've restored the device to its original state, no abnormalities. Let's begin." Basil stepped back, as he wasn't going to be accompanying the rest of the group on this mission. Najika looked at him, but he shrugged, saying that he couldn't come. She looked disappointed, but kept listening to the conversation between Spanner and Sawada-dono. "You'll be returning to the past." Basil put a hand on Najika's shoulder and quietly slipped out of the room. It wasn't his mission, but he would be waiting for them to return.

**X Najika Kamiya X**

We landed in the past once more. I looked around. We landed… at Namimori Shrine. "Ciaossu." I looked over to Tsuna to see him bent over with Reborn on his head.

"Reborn! When did you get here?!"

Reborn didn't reply to the question, but said, "Everything's going according to schedule. They should be coming here soon." They? Who was "they?"

A rustle in the bushes caught Hibari's attention, and he turned around, swiping at it with his tonfas. A familiar bird flew up, carrying a very familiar Arcobaleno. "I come all the way out here, and this is the greeting I get, hey!" Colonello dropped to the ground.

"He's not the only one!" Another Arcobaleno, this time the holder of the purple pacifier, dropped next to Colonello. "I'm also here!" Skull announced.

An indigo swarm of mist took the form of yet another Arcobaleno. "Good grief. Rather shameless of you to call me out here again without pay," Mammon complained, staring up at us. I smiled at the Mist Arcobaleno and he gave me a nod in reply.

The Storm Arcobaleno walked up behind the other three and reprimanded Mammon, "Now, now. Don't be like that."

"Master!" I-Pin exclaimed happily.

Fon looked up at her and seemed to smile. "I-Pin, I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

So apparently, Reborn had been here a half a day before us to assemble the Arcobaleno, and we had just cleared the Arcobaleno Trials a day before we appeared here. It'd been quite a few days… "To get them to help as your tutors," Reborn finished, a solemn look on his face. I bit my lip. What about Verde? "Yeah, I also let Verde know. He's not here right now, but knowing him, he's probably hiding somewhere and watching us."

I smiled at the Arcobaleno, but my eyes widened when all of the pacifiers began to glow. I looked to Tsuna, who's Ring was shooting a huge beam of light with a Flame at the end.

The man that appeared to us was wearing the traditional mafia outfit, but had the same gloves as Tsuna, except… they had an "I" instead of an "X." This man… was Giotto, the Vongola Primo.

If the gloves weren't enough, I could see his Flame. His Flame was bright, much like Tsuna's was when he was in Hyper Dying Will Mode. It was like Giotto was in Hyper Dying Will Mode forever, judging not only by the huge Flame he emitted, but also by the Dying Will Flame on his forehead. It was huge, and had life to it, like it was a slice of his soul.

Giotto looked directly at Tsuna and said, "So we meet again, Vongola Decimo." He wasn't a ghost at all, but a memory. He looked over to Yuni and asked, "Are you the one who summoned me?"

"There's a legend that the Vongola Rings hold the living will of the first-generation Family," Reborn explained. "We used the power of the Arcobaleno pacifiers to form a contract that allowed you to take a corporeal form."

The blonde Vongola replied, "I've never answered to the Arcobaleno's power, and never will again. My acceptance of the Arcobaleno boss, the Sky Arcobaleno's conditions has led to this single exception."

The Sky Arcobaleno… Was it Yuni? I looked over to her and she simply smiled, telling me not to worry about it. My eyes narrowed a little bit; when would she tell us what her true power was?

Looking to Tsuna once more, Giotto's face was still calm. "It appears you've run into a wall, Vongola Decimo." He knew. He sensed the danger that Vongola was in because of Tsuna's feelings. "You're Decimo's Guardians?" he asked, his gaze scanning over all of us. I bit my lip. "You have yet to inherit the true power of the Vongola."

True power? What on Earth was he talking about?

"If the first-generation Vongola Family accepts you as the true boss and true Guardians, you will be able to inherit the power of the Vongola."

Tsuna voiced my thoughts by asking, "Power of the Vongola?" He sounded as confused, if not more, as I felt.

Almost desperately, Hayato demanded, "What do we need to do to be accepted as true Guardians?" I had to admit, I was curious, too. Would we have to undergo some kind of task, like the Arcobaleno Trials?

Giotto's gaze was hard to look into. "Are you able to embody the duty of a Guardian? Do you have the resolve? Everything rests on that." His amber gaze landed on me now and for once, a trace of shock was in his eyes.

"Nami?"

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><p><strong>Atogaki-<strong>

**Andddd that's where I leave you. ^^ Hehe, I'm kind of mean. To keep you waiting this long and then give you such a cliffhanger? I'm very sorry. Suman minna. -bows repeatedly- Ahaha, I'm very sorry about this. But I won't do a double update, because, just for you guys, I updated and edited up to chapter 12 of this story in order to change some things that I was disappointed in. It's a lot longer now, too.**

**I haven't been updating lately because of the usual - school, work, career... stuff like that. That, and I'm still focusing on my newest novel series, which I'm keeping under wraps. I've also been struggling to finish Lost in the Dark and Reckoning. Those are currently on hiatus as I attempt to finish the writing for them, as my draft is finished for both.**

**Also, I understand that Naruto isn't finished, but the story will end before the end of the series. With the end ****_I_**** want to happen. _**

**Anyways, thank you for being patient and staying with me. -bows- Thank you, all. ^^**


	25. Past Meets Present From the Future

**Episode 25: Past meets Future from the Present  
><strong>**"I really hope you understand that if you wanna take my hand, then you should put yours over my heart. I promise to be careful from the start."  
><strong>**-"Count on You" by Big Time Rush feat. Jordin Sparks**

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><p>I stared in shock at him. Did he know someone who looked like me? Why was he calling me… "Nami?" Giotto asked again. "Is that…"<p>

"No," I replied. "My name is Najika, and I guess you've mistaken me for someone else," I continued apologetically.

The blonde walked over to me, moving for the first time, and he leaned over me. "You look so much like her, you know that?" I backed up a bit. "I guess you're the one who needs a tutor, right?" he asked, his gaze soft. "Arcobaleno." Reborn looked up. "I believe this is another reason I was summoned."

Reborn nodded. "Yes."

Smirking softly, Giotto stood up straight again. "I believe you are my charge." He put a hand on my shoulder. "I'll take good care of her, Arcobaleno." My eyes widened as I felt a shock of Flames running through my body, and then they closed, and my body felt heavy.

X Hayato Gokudera X

Najika collapsed, and Gokudera rushed to help her, but he was beaten by the Vongola Primo. The blonde boss picked her up gently and looked at Gokudera. "You remind me of him." He smiled a little as the yellow Flame engulfed both him and Najika, who was tucked away in the Primo's arms. "You two make a good couple," was the last thing he said before the Flame faded away.

Gokudera growled a little. "Najika…" He'd let her get taken by the Vongola Primo, and hadn't been fast enough to help her.

"She'll be fine," Reborn assured Gokudera. "Don't worry about her; she'll be just fine." All Gokudera could do was trust Reborn's word that Najika would be okay. "She's tougher than she looks." That much was for sure.

Sighing a little, Gokudera turned with the rest of them. _Najika… be safe._

X Giotto X

He was watching over the girl in the Place of Dreams, which is what Asari had named it. Giotto simply accepted the name, however strange it seemed to the Italian Mafia Boss.

Footsteps behind her signaled the arrival of one of his Guardians. "She looks just like Nami," G. commented quietly. "I can see that history really did repeat itself."

Giotto nodded. "Yes, it really did. Did you all visit the Decimo Guardians?" he asked, turning to face his right-hand man.

G. nodded. "My… _successor_ is a little bit headstrong."

"He reminded me of you when I saw him," the Primo shot back teasingly. He always could be somewhat immature in front of his friend, G. Giotto knew he could trust the pink-haired man with his life if he had to. "He was like you when you were younger, wasn't he?"

Shrugging, G. deadpanned, "I was never that stubborn." He paused for a brief second, then asked, "Was I?" Giotto chuckled, and G. shook his head, then looked to the girl who was lying down. "How long has she been asleep?"

Giotto replied, "Since yesterday. I guess I overdid it with the Flame Sedative." The Primo gave his friend a small, sheepish grin. G. groaned. "Now, how to wake her up…" He sat back down in his chair, gazing at Najika again.

G. sat down next to Giotto and the Primo noticed that his friend looked like he wanted to reach out to the girl. "Can I try something? It always woke Nami up." He didn't miss the pain in G.'s voice when he mentioned Nami.

"Go ahead."

Taking a deep breath, the Storm Guardian bent down next to the brunette girl's ear. He exhaled, right in her ear, and the girl jolted up, colliding with G. He grabbed his head in pain, as did Najika. "Ow…" she complained. "Who's bright idea was it to wake me up like that?!"

Standing, Giotto turned away from her. "So, you're awake." She looked up to him and gasped. "I have to go now. G., take care of her." The right-hand man grumbled, but nodded.

With that, Giotto left to watch Asari Ugetsu's trial of the Decimo Rain Guardian, Takeshi Yamamoto.

X Najika Kamiya X

The man in front of me looked a lot like Hayato. I almost called him Hayato, but then, the Primo, Giotto, called him G. I looked to G. and asked, "How long have I been asleep?"

He shrugged a little before replying, "I don't know. Maybe half a day, maybe more. Primo didn't really give any specifics." I bit my lip. "What's your name?" he asked, finally looking me in the eye.

I stared into his pinkish-red eyes. They looked familiar somehow. "Oh, um… my name is Najika Kamiya, sir, and I'm… the Decimo Wave Guardian." G. looked almost confused when I told him that I was a Wave Guardian.

"Wave Guardian?" he asked. "We've never had a Wave Guardian, why now?" G. mused quietly. I looked at him, the slightest bit of confusion in my eyes. "Sorry," he muttered, looking away from me. "I was just wondering." He looked back up to me. "Look, I know what happened to all of you, most of all, that boy, Hayato Gokudera. He cares a lot for you."

I looked down and twiddled my thumbs. "I knew that. I just… I want to… I…" I trailed off, not knowing what else to say to the Storm Guardian. I only knew which Guardian he was because of his Flame, which was powerful and violent in nature. "I'm sorry, I think that I just need some sleep…"

He sighed. "But you just slept, idiot." He slapped my forehead gently. "You care a lot for him, too, don't you?" I nodded. "Good. Don't lose that in yourself, okay?" he asked, standing. "Ah, Primo!" I followed his gaze to see the blonde Vongola Primo with a man in a traditional Japanese robe and a hat.

Giotto nodded to G. and walked over to face me. "Wave Guardian, this is Asari Ugetsu, the Primo Rain Guardian. He will be giving you your first bit of training." I looked up at him, confusion coming back to me. "We will all be training you, one by one. He has a bit of a break before he tests Takeshi Yamamoto once again."

Asari sent a small smile at me. "It's very nice to meet you, Kamiya-san."

I bowed to him and replied, "Same to you, Ugetsu-sama, and please, all of you, call me Najika." Giotto nodded and G. scoffed, turning away. "I have to ask though… did Takeshi fail his test?"

The Rain Guardian sighed. "Unfortunately, yes. He struck me down without a second thought. He went against his nature to win." I gasped a little. That was nothing like the Takeshi I knew. I guessed that Choice changed him. "Now, I have a question for you." I looked up into his smiling face. "If you were fighting, and the opponent that you were going up against was using hostages, would you continue to fight that opponent, even if there was a slight chance that your opponent would use those hostages against you?"

I thought for a minute. "Well… I guess that if a fight couldn't be avoided, I'd try my best not to hurt the hostages, but if I didn't have to fight, I wouldn't. I'd try to get the hostages out of the way before I did anything else."

"Is that your honest answer?" I nodded. "Ah… I guess you don't need my help then! You already have a sense of when to fight and when to agree."

I blinked twice. "Eh?"

Asari smiled once again. "Not everyone has that instinct. You really don't need my help, but if you ever need me, I'll be there to help you in any way I can." He raised his hand and a Rain Flame appeared in his palm. He took my Ring in that hand and I felt the spirit and power of the Rain Guardian surging into the Ring. "Now then, I should go. Your friend Takeshi Yamamoto still needs a second chance."

X Giotto X

So, that girl had Asari's keen sense of what to do in a fight. Giotto watched as she busied herself reading a very old book in his collection. She seemed to be very mature for her age. She was kind and sweet, but determined, too. Her only downfall, however major it was, was probably that she was always too hard on herself. He knew this from seeing her past.

Her training when the Varia came was… insane, for lack of a better word. It was like if she didn't keep getting stronger, she'd die. Even when she was in the past, she didn't stop unless she was eating or trying to figure out how to get stronger. She had to keep moving forward, or she wouldn't move at all.

He sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. "Najika." She looked up from the book, and Giotto noticed it was one of Nami's favorites. "It's late. You should get some sleep." She bit her lip and looked down at the book wistfully.

"But… I wanted to finish this chapter," she pointed out sadly. "It's the best one in this story…"

Giotto looked down at her. "You've read this before?"

She nodded happily. "Yeah. It was one of the first books I'd ever read. It was watered down, true, but it was still one of my favorite stories. I love how the story ends, even though it's so sad…"

The Primo moved around the couch and sat down next to Najika, gently removing the book from her hands. He pushed her down and covered her with a blanket. "Sleep, Najika. You've been working too hard again."

It was true; she'd been training with her "Box Weapons" as she called them, mostly trying to master a huge sword. Even Asari seemed shocked at her determination to master the huge weapon. She only came in to make herself something to eat and to ask for details on Takeshi Yamamoto's test.

It'd been two days since Giotto brought her there, and Takeshi Yamamoto had passed his test when the second trial came.

He stood back up when he saw her sleeping, visibly worn out from all of her training. Moving out of the doorway, he saw Lampo, Asari, and G. all watching him. "Is it time for Lampo-kun to do as he wishes?" Asari asked cheerfully.

Giotto spared one last look at the sleeping girl. "She won't like what she sees, but it's what must be done. Let's go." They moved out of the room, save for Lampo, who walked in and sat down next to Najika.

X Najika Kamiya X

I opened my eyes and looked around. Why was there the sound of guns and yells? I gasped at what I saw. I was standing on what looked like a chessboard. Around three squares to my left was Hayato, and four to my right were Chrome and Lambo, who was crying. Hayato had his Flame Arrow out and was shooting away. In the last row behind me was Tsuna, looking worried.

"Snap out of it, Najika!" Hayato yelled. "We've gotta buy the turf-top and the baseball idiot time to get to Byakuran!" I noticed Takeshi, with his sword, edging along the side of the chessboard, Ryohei opposite him.

Someone was missing… "What about Hibari-kun?!" I asked, pulling out my gun.

Hayato shrugged. "We just have to protect Juudaime. If he does down, it's all over!" I bit my lip. "Hibari… that bastard. He launched an attack as soon as we got into the game. Got disqualified the first move."

I knew it. Hibari wasn't the type to sit around through a game. I looked around and saw him restrained by several chains around his arms, legs, and middle. He was angry, his rage visible from the demonic look on his face. He tonfas were at his feet, bent and useless.

"Najika!"

When I looked back to Hayato, I saw him looking over at Ryohei, who was on the floor, now also restrained by chains, with the Cloud Funeral Wreath, Kikyo, standing over him. Zakuro and Bluebell were in chains on Byakuran's side. The Millefiore Boss was watching with narrowed eyes. Ghost was nowhere to be found, and Daisy was hiding behind Torikabuto.

I took aim and fired at Torikabuto, who burst into smoke. It was only an illusion. The Flame-bullet continued and hit Daisy, sending him flying back. Chains flew from where he landed and wrapped around him. Poor guy looked about to cry in terror. I bit my lip. Then Takeshi yelped and a sword clattered to the floor. I looked over to him to see the real Torikabuto standing over Takeshi's form. It didn't look like Takeshi was breathing. I bit my lip even harder to try and keep from crying.

Chains restrained him, too. Not that they had to, Takeshi was done fighting either way. Hayato grimaced. Byakuran, Kikyo, and Torikabuto were left on the Millefiore side, and we had Hayato, Tsuna, Lambo, Chrome, and myself.

I bit my lip. No… This wasn't happening… I kept trying to hit Torikabuto, who just kept dodging or blocking. Soon enough, Chrome and Lambo were also taken out. I almost lunged at Kikyo in anger. He hurt a child! I fired off another shot, this time at Byakuran. Torikabuto blocked it with his own body, taking him out of the game. It was down to just Kikyo and Byakuran against Hayato, Tsuna, and me.

"Argh!" Hayato cried out in pain, clutching where Kikyo had punched. Smirking, the Millefiore Cloud kicked Hayato right off of the chessboard. Only Tsuna and me left, and I was sure Kikyo would go after me. I held up my gun, but Kikyo went straight past me and snapped his fingers. Bellflowers wrapped around Tsuna and pulled him down.

A feeble hand reached out and Tsuna's voice begged, "Najika-chan… help me…" The bellflowers wrapped tighter and Tsuna was cut off.

"Tsuna-kun!"

Byakuran stepped in front of me. "This game is over. We've won. You can either leave and save yourself, or risk having the same fate as your friends." He smiled, almost kindly, but there was something sinister about it.

I knew that I probably should've left, but my stubborn streak kicked in and I shook my head. "No… I'm not leaving them!"

Something poked my forehead. I closed my eyes, waiting for the worst. "Bang," a lazy voice said. I looked up to see someone that looked like the fifteen-year-old Lambo, only with green hair. "Hm… Nice to meet you, Wave Guardian, Najika Kamiya. I'm Lord Lampo, the Primo Thunder Guardian."

"What?"

The lanky looking Guardian looked away. "You know, part of battle is knowing when someone is done for. You apparently can't let go. Look around," he stated flatly. Everyone… "You're the only survivor. You should've left when you still had the chance, because you've lost, and the Vongola has been destroyed."

I looked down. Lampo was right; if I was the only Vongola left, if there was even one, the Vongola still survived. "I…"

"What've you learned?" Lampo asked. I bit my lip. What was the lesson? He sighed. "You've learned that it's necessary to be selfish sometimes. Save yourself for once."

So… "So at points, to best save the Vongola, I have to make sure that I survive?" I tried, standing up to face Lampo.

The Thunder Guardian grinned a little and nodded. "Yep. Anyways, I guess I have to give you this." Like Asari, his hand lit up with a green Flame and he wrapped his hand around the Ring. It was sparking a little from the powerful Flame of the Thunder Guardian, but I could feel the acceptance of the Flame that the Ring gave off. "Later." He faded away, the surroundings following.

My eyes opened again. _It was only a dream…_

X Giotto X

So, she passed Lampo's test, too, even though he had to explain it to her. She learned a valuable lesson from the Guardian. Giotto stared at the dark blue sky, his hands gripping the railing of the balcony. He heard the footsteps of one of his friends behind him. "How did it go, Primo?"

He turned to face G. "It went better than I expected. At points, I was scared that Lampo was going to kill her, or she'd break down in terror. He used the worst memory of hers."

"He used their current roadblock?" G. guessed, moving to stand next to his boss. Giotto nodded, eliciting a sigh from his right-hand man. "Typical Lampo. Taking the easy way out…"

Giotto looked at his friend's face. "Do you care for her?" he asked lightly.

Looking down, G. replied, "She reminds me of Nami. She shouldn't take the same path, but she's just like Nami." He looked back to the stars above the balcony. "I just… think this is a way that Nami's been given another chance, you know?"

He nodded and followed G.'s gaze. "I understand, G. She was my friend, too, and I miss her."

"But she was responsible for your death!" G. exclaimed.

"I know that. But she was tricked. You haven't seen the future of Najika, have you?" G. shook his head. "She was lead down the same path as Nami. Only this time, it was all according to plan, except for her death." G. looked back down, biting his lip. "I know why you care about her so much, G."

G. scoffed and turned around, leaning against the railing. "Yeah, I figured you'd find out. No less from Vongola Primo." Giotto noticed how bitter his friend's voice was. "I don't really care who knows. As long as she doesn't find out."

"You have my word."

X Najika Kamiya X

Lampo came in the next day and told me that Lambo had passed his test, but was still as immature as ever. I simply laughed and told him that Lambo was five, so he shouldn't have expected anything else. Who was next?

It was the fourth day since we arrived back in the past. Takeshi passed over the course of two days, and Lambo passed, too. On day four, who was next?

I bonded with Asari, who helped me finish off with Frusta's Cambio Forma, and mastered it. It only took half a week. I'd mastered the scythe, which was rather easy to use, and the shield, which took practically no skill to fight with. Lampo was always hanging around, and I assumed the other Guardians and Giotto were still watching their designated Decimo Guardians.

That's when I noticed that G. was missing. He was usually here at this time. I was in the gardens with Asari, having a type of tea that wasn't really made anymore. Surprisingly, it was still fresh. "Hey, Asari-san?" I asked. The blue-eyed man looked up from his instrument. "Is G. watching Hayato for his test?"

Asari sighed, putting down his flute. "Well, yes and no. He believes that your friend Hayato Gokudera isn't fit to become the right-hand man of the Decimo, and he's going to test his resolve."

I bit my lip. "Hayato won't like that very much. He doesn't respond well to criticism and doubt, and is stubborn and short-tempered. But he has a good heart, and is really loyal. He just has to control that temper of his, but other than that, he's a great right-hand man."

"Are you saying that out of your love for him or your belief in what you say?"

I replied firmly, "Neither. I _know_ that Hayato is a good right hand man, and if anyone questions his resolve, he'll stand up, and prove them wrong. He'll go against them to meet and rise above their expectations."

Asari smiled. "It's good that you believe in your Family that much." I nodded happily, taking another sip of the tea.

"This is really good, Asari-san."

"Thank you."

At sundown, G. returned from his trial.

He collapsed on the couch, sighing heavily. I placed a cup of tea in front of him that Asari had just made and sat down. "Are you going to ask about his trial or what?" G. asked.

Looking to him, I replied, "Well, I was hoping you'd tell me, but I also want you to rest. It looks like you've had a long day."

G. shrugged, picking up the cup of tea. "I've been gone since… well, before you woke up, that's for sure. And man, that boss of yours." He shuddered. "He reminds me of Primo when we were your age."

Confused, I asked, "Isn't that a compliment?"

"No way," G. deadpanned. "When Giotto was Decimo's age, he couldn't do anything right. He was, to put it lightly, useless, but after some hard training and one or two life-or-death situations, he became the guy he is today." He spared a glance at the door. "Don't tell anyone I said this, but your friend Hayato Gokudera? He was just like me when I was his age."

My eyes widened. "Seriously?" He nodded. "And?! Did he pass?!"

G. smirked a little. "Yeah. Kid's got some work to do, but he's going to do just fine as Decimo's right-hand."

_I knew it_.

"G." The pink-haired man stood up and faced the man in the doorway. "I have an assignment from Giotto."

G. sighed and stood up. "Yeah, yeah, Alaude. I know, I have to leave now, right?" I tugged on his sleeve a little. "Oh, right. Najika, this is Alaude, the Primo Cloud Guardian," he recited flatly.

"Nice to meet you, Alaude." I held out my hand for him to shake. He did so, somewhat reluctantly. "What are you teaching me?"

He replied, "You let your emotions take control of you in yesterday's trial. You refused to leave because of your love for them, and when they get hurt, you didn't want to believe it."

I shot him a half-glare and retorted, "You talk like that's a bad thing."

Alaude returned my half-glare and sighed. "This girl isn't worth my time," he grumbled. "Do you know _why_ I speak as if it's a bad thing?" he asked slowly. I shook my head. "Emotions get people killed."

What the fuck?

He continued, "Just don't think about anyone else in combat. It's just you and your opponent. Nothing and no one else matters. Unless someone innocent is about to die, you don't get involved."

I burst out, "I'm not the Cloud, damnit! I can engage with other people!" Alaude only looked slightly taken aback. "I have to stay strong for myself and my teammates. And maybe you're right, maybe fighting with my emotions gets in my way and keeps me from being my best! I'll try harder, but I refuse to cut myself off and watch my friends die."

The Primo Cloud was silent. At this point, I really wanted to bitch slap him so he'd feel it into next Sunday – no, wait. Make that _two_ Sundays from now. "Fine. You pass," he spat out reluctantly. Thank God. Another five minutes, and one of us would be badly hurt, that one more likely to be me. Alaude's hand lit up with a purple Flame and, unlike the others, he shot it into my Ring instead of placing it around the Ring. "See you, brat."

He reminded me of Hibari. Stoic, cold, and always wants to prove his superiority. Come to think of it, Giotto reminded me a lot of Tsuna, too, as did Asari with Takeshi, Lampo with Lambo, and G. with Hayato. It wasn't just their looks; it was personalities and their way of speaking that really reminded me of the Tenth Generation of the Vongola.

X Giotto X

Giotto was speaking with G. about how the test of the Storm Guardian, Hayato Gokudera, went when the door to his office flew open. His Cloud Guardian stormed in and ignored G. when he glared at him. Putting his hand on Giotto's desk, Alaude all but demanded, "Who is that girl, and why does she look like _her_."

G. froze, which didn't escape his boss's notice. "Her name is Najika Kamiya," Giotto replied. "She didn't have an Arcobaleno tutor, so we were asked to take her in for the week."

"That still doesn't explain why she looks like Nami," Alaude shot back.

The Primo sighed and looked down. "Even I don't know why she looks so much like Nami. She acts like Nami, too." The Cloud Guardian's gaze narrowed, but he nodded and left. Giotto sighed, resting his head in his hand. "He's so stubborn. Well, at least she passed his test. I thought he'd fail her for sure."

Chuckling, G. leaned against the wall. "He never changes, does he? The Decimo's Cloud Guardian is a lot like him from what Najika says."

Picking his pen back up and continuing to write down the details of the Storm Test, Giotto asked, "Have you been talking to her a lot?" G. nodded in reply, turning to look out the window. "… G." G.'s gaze switched back to his friend. "You can't feel for her like you did Nami."

"I won't, Giotto. I just want to know who she is," G. quickly retorted.

"She doesn't know who she is."

G. sighed again, letting his head fall back and hit the wall. "I know that. I'm going to help her so she doesn't feel like she's alone." Giotto opened his mouth to say something, but G. continued, "I mean, even when this whole thing is over, I want to watch over her."

At this point, Giotto stood and put his hand on his friend's shoulder. "We're all going to stay with her, even Alaude."

"And _him_?"

He nodded. "And him."

* * *

><p><strong>I apologize for not only the delay in the updates, but also in the shortness and horribleness of this chapter. I feel less connected to Najika than I used to, and <strong>**I feel like once I finish putting this story up, I may leave this site. Just... vanish. ****Here's why:**

**I'm scared.**

**Yeah, that's really it.**

**I feel like this story was something I used to be proud of. I'd connected all the dots and made sure everything made sense - to me, anyways. But really... if you think about it, it doesn't make sense at all. To me, it feels like a jumbled mess of ideas written by a girl with the writing skills of a six year old and the mind of a three year old. It doesn't feel at all like the things I've been writing as of late.**

**So, yeah, I'm scared.**

**I feel like I'm disappointing people, because I'm a slow writer. I can only write when I feel inspiration, and I rarely have time to update anymore.**

**I'm asking you, my readers, for help. Because I need to know if you like this, if you hate it, or if you think I suck and I should kill myself, because I have gotten reviews for some of my former pieces that have told me to kill myself. It discouraged me a little, but I think I'm handling things a little better now that I've matured more.**

**But because I've matured more, I also feel like I'm letting you guys down. If I am, please say so, because I don't want to stick around if I'm disappointing anyone.**

**Thanks, guys.**

**-Aki**


	26. Finding a Resolve

**Episode 26: Finding a Resolve  
>"Lord knows dreams are hard to follow, but don't let anyone tear them away… Just hold on, and there will be tomorrow, and in time, you'll find the way…"<br>-"Hero" by Mariah Carey**

* * *

><p>It'd been four days since I came here. I still didn't know where I was, in the truest sense of the word, but I found myself growing close with the Guardians I'd met, even Alaude. He helped me train, allowing me to spar against him.<p>

Asari and I were still having lunch together every day, and I spent a lot of time with G. and Giotto. Lampo demanded I make lunch for him every day, but I wasn't complaining.

As for the tests, from what I heard, Takeshi had passed, Lambo had passed, Hayato had passed, and both Hibari and Ryohei had passed. I sighed. Who was going to test me next? Giotto, or G., or one of the Guardians I hadn't met?

Who was left? I'd already met the Sky and the Storm, and had been tested by the Rain, Thunder, and Cloud. I still had to meet the Sun and the Mist Guardians. I sighed and looked around the gardens. Asari and the others had to go somewhere, even G. They left a few hours beforehand, and I was left alone in that huge mansion on a road that lead to nowhere.

Picking myself off the ground, I walked into the mansion through the door on the porch leading into the kitchen. Sitting at the table was a man I'd never met before. He had black hair, and for some reason, reminded me of Ryohei. I guessed that this man was the Guardian of Sun.

"It's nice to finally meet you, ultimate Wave Guardian!" he exclaimed, albeit politely. I nodded. "I'm Knuckle, Giotto's Guardian of the Sun." He stood and looked at me, his eyes boring into mine. "I'm here to give you your next test."

I nodded a little. "I understand. What do I have to do?"

"Let's sit." We sat on the twin couches, Knuckle across from me. "Okay, this is the ultimate test, isn't it?" he asked happily. "Well, we're going to do visual training now. It's a lesson, but it's also kind of fun. Close your eyes." I closed my eyes, my vision going black. "Now, envision your enemy." Byakuran's face was the one that came into my vision first. "Okay, so you've just won against your enemy, and they're asking for you to let them go, that they've learned their lesson. What do you do?"

I thought for a minute. "I… I'm not sure. I guess if that person was really such a bad person, I don't think that I'd let them go that easily, but… I've killed people without thinking, so I guess it depends on the extent of their crime."

Knuckle made a noise of approval. "Hm… okay, imagine you're in a tournament. You just defeated your opponent, and the rules are anything goes. Would you kill that person?"

"No!" I burst out. "Of course not! If this person hasn't done anything wrong, then- I mean, I just don't think that I'd be able to look someone in the eyes and kill them like they're game. I've killed people, yes, but if I didn't, they'd stand back up and attack my friends."

The Sun Guardian said, "Open your eyes." I did, and he looked rather pleased. "You pass, and with the ultimate grade! A+++++!" I laughed nervously; was there such a grade? "You really did a great job with this challenge!" His hand lit up with a bright Sun Flame and he wrapped it around my Ring. Another Flame down, which left only four Flames to collect.

I stood and bowed to the Primo Guardian. "Thank you, Knuckle! So I this means that guess Ryohei-kun passed his challenge?" I guessed, looking back to the black-haired man.

He nodded. "Yeah, and he did it with the ultimate skills!" I laughed a little. Of course, Ryohei would pass the Sun test with little to no problem; he was as bright as the sun, in terms of personality, after all. In terms of brains… I'd think more the dark side of the moon. "I think that your friend Chrome Dokuro is being tested tomorrow." I looked up sharply. "We think you should come with us, after-!"

"Now, now, Knuckle, are you speaking about me? I'm flattered." I looked up to see a blue-haired man who looked much like Mukuro. "Hello, Najika-chan. My name is Daemon Spade, the Guardian of Mist."

I nodded. "It's very nice to meet you, Spade-san."

He chuckled. "Call me Daemon, Najika-chan. After all, I am going to be testing you now."

"Daemon…" Knuckle warned. "You'd better not mess with her, you hear me?"

Daemon sent a challenging look at Knuckle. "Or else what?" he challenged. "You'll hurt me? I remember you taking a vow to never use your fists to harm people ever again after you killed a man in the boxing ring."

Knuckle froze. "Wait, Daemon… I'd really just like my test," I told him softly, putting a hand on his arm. "I mean, I don't want you guys to fight." It probably couldn't be helped; they didn't seem to have a good relationship either way.

He let out another chuckle. "Well then, my dear Najika-chan, I must tell you that… I have no test prepared. But I will pass you, as you are the Guardian of the Wave, and you remind me so much of my dear friend Nami. I just have one piece of advice to give you." He glared at Knuckle, who huffed, but walked out slowly, closing the door behind him. Daemon leaned down to my ear. "Sometimes doing good requires a lie to the person who trusts you most." My eyes widened and he stood straight again.

I managed to ask, "Are you saying that I should go behind Tsuna-kun's back to do what _I_ think is right?" He chuckled once again. "That's not funny! I… Tsuna-kun trusts me, and I don't want to betray his trust."

The Mist Guardian replied, "Nami did it. She went behind Giotto's back, and we became stronger. She died for it, but she made the Vongola strong." I gaped at the older man. "You must think badly of me now, don't you?"

Biting my lip, I looked to the floor. "Only a little. I really believe that I can do good for the Family without having to deceive my friends."

"Maybe, maybe not." He shrugged. "Good luck either way, Najika-chan." His hand lit up with an indigo Flame. "I'm sorry if I seem to be in a rush. I do have things to do, after all."

X Giotto X

Knuckle was standing outside the living room door, his ear to the wood. "What are you doing?" G. asked, walking over to the Sun Guardian. "Who's in there? Najika and…" He cut himself off and looked around. Giotto saw G.'s face freeze. "You didn't leave her in there with _him_, did you?" he demanded harshly.

"It was his test," Knuckle tried weakly.

G. turned on his friend and spat, "You left her there, knowing what he's capable of!" Giotto was even surprised the amount of hatred dripping from his right-hand's voice. "Damnit, it's locked! Daemon, you bastard, open up!" G. began banging on the door before finally kicking it down.

Giotto swept in, cutting off his Guardians. Daemon Spade was nowhere to be found, but when the Primo looked around, he saw Najika, breathing heavily, lying on the couch, curled up into a little ball. "Giotto?" G. asked uncertainly. "What'd you find?" He walked around his boss, but stopped dead when he saw Najika. "Fuck you, Daemon Spade…" he growled.

Pushing past the Storm Guardian, Asari knelt next to Najika and asked, "What happened? What did he do to you?"

She opened her eyes weakly and replied, "I… I just…" She stopped and pulled away from Asari's grip. "I don't want to do this! I want to go home!" she cried, a few tears slipping from her eyes. She grabbed onto Asari's sleeve and begged, "Please don't leave me! He… he said that to make the Vongola stronger, the Decimo would have to be weeded out."

That's when Giotto stopped, too. "What?" he managed.

"He said," Najika continued, "that the Decimo wouldn't make Vongola stronger, and that it was unacceptable to have such a… 'useless little brat' as a boss."

Giotto's fists clenched and he grounded out, "Let's go. She's going to be tested soon." All of his Guardians nodded. They knew the "she" that their boss was talking about. Najika struggled to sit up, Asari and G. on either side of her, supporting her weak frame. "You should come, if you feel up to it," Giotto directed at her.

She nodded determinedly. "I won't let him hurt them."

G. cleared his throat as Asari helped Najika stand, even though her legs looked like they wouldn't support her for long. "Giotto, you said that he'd stay with her, too. I don't think that's a good idea."

The blonde nodded. "I understand, G. Let's just get Najika to her friends."

X Najika Kamiya X

I gripped G.'s shoulders tighter, as I still wasn't ready to stand yet. We were all outside of Kokuyo Health Land, where Chrome and Ken and Chikusa were bound to be. I bit my lip a little. Everyone but Daemon Spade was outside. A shiver ran down my spine at just the thought of the name. "You okay?" G. asked, looking back to me, looking slightly worried.

I nodded, resting my head on his shoulder. "Yeah, but I'm a little tired. I don't want to sleep, though… I'm too scared." His eyes softened a little. "Daemon Spade… I don't know what he's capable of, and I don't really want to find out what he could do to me and everyone else."

G. looked down, his eyes shining with hatred for the man named Daemon Spade. "He's capable of killing someone with no remorse. Giotto trusted him, though, so we decided to trust him, too." I sighed a little, burying my face in his shirt. "Nami trusted him, too. They'd been friends forever, and they joined the Vongola _together_. She never doubted his loyalty, not once."

Closing my eyes, I muttered, "He sounds a lot like someone from Tsuna-kun's family, but I don't think he'd betray us now… But now that you've told me that, I know that we have to help them."

"We're not allowed to interfere with an Inheritance Test," G. replied apologetically. "But this is just taking it a step too far, even for that bastard."

Giotto walked up to us. "Najika." I looked up from the ground to see over Giotto's shoulder. Tsuna and everyone… were running inside. "Maybe it's time to put your training to use. I'll give you my Flame, and so will G. You have to help your Family."

G. put me down, but quickly replied, "No way. She's been tortured enough by Daemon Spade."

"No… I'll do it." All six of the Guardians turned to me, some worried, some almost proud. "I'm not going to stand by and let my Family get hurt."

Smiling, Giotto ruffled my hair a little. "You really are like Nami. I'm very proud of how much you've grown, even in just a few days." His gloved hand lit up with a bright orange Flame and both his and the Storm Flame hit the Ring around my neck. "We'll make sure nothing happens to you."

I nodded determinedly and looked once at the purple covered building and back at the Guardians. All of them, even Alaude, gave me a look to go on. Running into the Mist, a few feet behind my friends, I don't think I'd ever felt so scared in my life, not even when I was faced with death. I think I was more scared then because I knew how dangerous this man was, and how horrible he'd be to my friends.

"Daemon Spade!" I yelled once I got inside. "Where are you, you bastard?!" Looking in both directions, I listened for something, anything, that would tell me what he did to my friends. I bit my lip again and prepared to wing it when I heard a chuckle.

A familiar blue-haired man materialized in front of me. "My dear Najika… I think you're very much mistaken. I'm only doing what's best for the Vongola."

I glared a little, slipping my Ring onto my finger. "You… you're destroying everything! The Vongola is fine as it is!" He simply laughed again. Lighting up my Ring, I quickly opened the Vongola Box, Nove landing on my shoulder and the rest of my boxes appearing around my waist. "I won't let you destroy this Family."

X Giotto X

G. grumbled a little, looking at the empty space that used to hold the Kokuyo Health Land. "Are you sure about staying out of this?" he demanded, turning to Giotto. The boss was silent. "Hey, Primo." Giotto looked down a little as he remembered what Daemon had done.

_It was a long time ago. So many were dead, including Nami. Nami… she died realizing what she'd done and had sacrificed herself to save Giotto from a Mafioso. G. was on the ground, cradling her body in his arms. "Why, Daemon? Why would you do this?" Giotto asked, stepping forward._

_The Mist Guardian was holding his arm, injured from the fight. "Why do you ask?" he replied. "You should already know the answer." He looked up, scratches decorating his face. "Along with my plans and my true desires…"_

Giotto closed his eyes. "Primo, you don't need to be upset about what happened," G. tried to assure the boss.

Knuckle agreed, "He was marching to a different beat from the very beginning."

"But Daemon is one of my Guardians." G. grumbled more, and Giotto looked at the Vongola pocket watch that every single one of the Primo Family had. "Daemon's time may also have stopped back then… Just like this watch." He slipped his hand into his pocket, fingering the eighth watch that had once belonged to Nami. "I only hope that Najika won't make the same mistakes."

_Nami's eyes were wide with horror at what she'd done. "I did this?" she squeaked uncertainly. Daemon' s smirk grew bigger. "No…" Giotto was so taken with his friend that he didn't notice the soldier behind him. But Nami did. "Giotto, look out!"_

_Giotto didn't even have time to react as the brunette girl tackled him to the ground and a gunshot rang through the building loudly. Nami's body landed on top of him and he gently pushed her off. That was when he noticed the blood. His eyes went wide as he put his fingers to the gunshot wound in her chest._

_She was getting paler and paler by the second. She didn't have any more time. His eyes narrowed and he called, "G." The pink-haired Storm Guardian turned his head, but once his gaze landed on Nami and Giotto, he ran over and knelt besides his boss and his lover._

_"What happened?" he choked out, putting a hand around the back of her neck and around her waist, holding her close to him. Giotto shook his head. "No… no, Nami, you can't leave me… Not you."_

_She weakly said. "I'm sorry…" But those were the last words she said, and she didn't breathe again. Giotto didn't know what she was apologizing for. To most, it'd seem that she was apologizing for leaving G., but Giotto knew that she was apologizing for her betrayal._

_He never blamed her, and he never would._

X Najika Kamiya X

The illusion had changed the rotting building to a courtyard of stone pillars. Frusta, in his Cambio Forma, collided with the floor as Daemon dodged. "Too slow," I heard him behind me. I turned around and Vento attacked him from the side. It allowed me to pick up the sword and take another shot at Daemon.

He chuckled a little and raised his fist, slamming it into the side of my face and sending me flying. I cried out as I hit the pillar. "Damn," I muttered. Frusta and Nove, who were now separated, whimpered. Vento was on the ground, too, beaten. I opened all of the boxes and put them back in. "I guess my fight's over, huh?" I spat out a bit.

"It would seem so," Daemon replied softly. "Be lucky I went easy on you." His face beamed in and out of my vision, and I groaned a little before rolling onto my side and collapsing.

X Hayato Gokudera X

The illusionary space broke, allowing the baseball idiot, the stupid cow, the turf top, and Hibari to join them. It faded away, revealing Daemon Spade on the stage of the theater and the girls in an illusion next to them. The illusion around the girls shattered thanks to Chrome, and she knelt a little in pain. Gokudera looked around for Najika.

His eyes widened as he noticed her, unconscious. "Najika!" He rushed over to her and knelt down next to her. "Are you okay?" he asked. She groaned a little. "Thank God."

She pushed away from him and put her hand on the wall to stand. "Daemon Spade… you bastard… I won't ever let you ruin the Vongola," she spat venomously, sending a hideous glare at the Primo Mist. Gokudera looked down to see the pool of red and white Flames surrounding her feet. His eyes narrowed in worry and he looked back to see Juudaime battling fiercely against Daemon Spade.

As Juudaime was preparing the X-BURNER, an illusionary mist covered the entire room. Gokudera held Najika's hand, waiting for the mist to clear. She was clearly upset, and insanely pissed off.

Suddenly the mist cleared, and an X-BURNER was flying towards Chrome and the other girls. Juudaime looked up in horror. Gokudera blinked, and the flame was being deflected. A familiar blue-haired illusionist was standing in front of them, and Chrome was gone.

"Mukuro."

X Najika Kamiya X

I didn't bother to listen to any of the conversation between the three colliding forces of Tsuna, Daemon, and Mukuro. I was listening to the instructions in my head, given to me by a very familiar voice.

**_Giotto?_**

_"Close your eyes, Najika." I did so and saw the face of the blonde Primo in my mind. "Now, do as I tell you. Your Flames are wild and out of control. You'll collapse if you use them too much."_

_I grimaced. __**I know that.**_

_He chuckled a little. "This will be my test of you. Focus… and feel the core of your power." I stopped thinking for a moment and I felt my pulse racing faster than a normal human's should. "There. Now, concentrate the Flames and slow your pulse down."_

**_How the hell do I do that?!_**

_"Focus…"_

_Eventually, my pulse was going back to the normal rate. __**Now what, Giotto?**__ I asked, my eyes still closed. No one answered. __**Giotto?**__ Why wasn't he answering?! Was he leaving me alone here?_

I opened my eyes and saw my friends, but no one else. Daemon was gone. My eyes narrowed. "I know you're there. Show yourself, Daemon," Tsuna demanded.

"Good grief." In a burst of indigo fire, the Mist appeared in front of us. "Such noisy children. I no longer intend to fight, since it appears that anything I have to say would be wasted on you." My hands, which were clenched into fists, relaxed a little. I knew that Daemon was a liar, but he would usually never back down.

I stepped forward as the threatening words between Mukuro and Daemon ended, and Chrome reappeared. "Daemon…" Another presence made itself know.

Giotto… "Primo."

He looked at Daemon, his amber gaze almost a glare, and said, "Daemon. I appreciate your help in evaluating the Guardian of the Mist Ring."

"There's no reason for you to thank me. I simply acted for the sake of my ideal Vongola." Cocky son of a bitch.

Giotto turned to look at Chrome, who was now on the ground with Kyoko and Haru. "However, you tested them and deemed them worthy. You fulfilled your duty." Daemon looked angry, but Giotto was still smiling towards his old Guardian.

With that, Daemon deemed Chrome worthy of the Inheritance of the Mist Guardian. I smiled a little, but a bright red Flame behind me drew my attention as Daemon disappeared. My eyes widened as G. stepped out and nodded to me. "You did good, kid."

I smiled widely at the man. "Thanks, G. But… you still haven't tested me yet." His gaze turned to confusion. "Even Giotto gave me a test, although I'm not entirely sure that I passed, but you didn't yet."

He shrugged. "You already passed. Here's how I'm going to show you." He pulled something out of his pocket and picked up my hand. Placing the object in my hand, he explained, "This was Nami's. I want you to have it. We're all in your heart now." I smiled a little. "I'm sorry for this."

"Eh?" His face was the last thing I saw before the Flame engulfed me. "Wait, where are we going?!"

"Namimori Shrine. It's night already, and everyone else is waiting."

When I opened my eyes again, I smiled. Knuckle, Asari, Alaude, and Lampo were already there. Two more Flames behind G. and me appeared, and Daemon stepped out of one, walking the other way, and Giotto from the other, and he walked towards me. "Najika… you've matured so much in just these few days. We've all deemed you worthy of becoming the protector of the Vongola. Your Inheritance is in your Vongola Box, when you need it."

I looked at the turquoise box. "Thank you so much, Giotto. For everything. And all of you. Asari, Knuckle, Lampo, Alaude, G… and Daemon." The blue-haired man's head snapped up from where he was staring at a watch. All of them had one, and they'd all stopped at the same time. "Thank you all!" I bowed to the Primo Family.

Giotto smiled gently and ruffled my hair a little before looking to Daemon. "You still carry that on you? The words on the back of the lid…"

"A vow of eternal friendship… was it?" Daemon asked, almost quietly.

The Primo looked down towards me, and he replied, "My feelings haven't changed." I knew they wouldn't; he wasn't the kind of person to hold a grudge.

Daemon scoffed a little. "Forever a fool." His words weren't venomous at all, even as he snapped the lid shut with enough force. "That was why you disappointed me in the end. I doubt our paths will ever cross again." He began to fade into his Flame, and I gaped. They were going to say goodbye soon… "Farewell, Primo."

Sighing, Giotto hung his head, but looked up when he heard footsteps behind him. The rest of his Guardians were behind him. I smiled and walked off to the side, allowing them a few moments with each other. "Good work everyone. Now, let's return to the Rings."

He looked up, but I looked down. I didn't want to say goodbye just yet… there was still so much I needed to know! "Najika…" G. was glancing at me. "Before we go, we just wanted to say how proud we are that we got to tutor you."

A small smile slipped back onto my face. "I'll miss all of you. You were some of the greatest tutors I could've asked for. Even Daemon." G. smirked and nodded. Then, in a burst of six colored Flames, they faded away. It was time to say goodbye to the Primo Family.

"Goodbye, everyone, and thank you."

_No, Najika. Thank _you_ for everything you've done for _us.

I looked up to the sky and raised my Ring above my head. It was shining with the seven colors of the seven Flames. I smiled a little, then remembered that I still had something clenched in my hand. I opened my hand to see a golden watch with the Vongola Crest engraved in it.

Inside were the Flames that decorated the hands and the inscription on the lid.

_"Givro eterna amicizia."_

I pledge eternal friendship.

I smiled at the words. They'd entrusted this to me. I would always have some part of the Primo Family with me. I felt a warm liquid making its way down my face. Even though they were already dead, I was still crying.

I couldn't help it; they were going to have eternal friendship, even Daemon, who betrayed the Vongola. All I could hope was that I, too, would have the same friendship with the Decimo Family.

* * *

><p><strong>I'm so sorry for taking so long, and really, thank you all for the support. Knowing that people support this shit storm of a story makes everything worthwhile. To be honest, I wondered if I should go on, even with all the support, but I went back and watched this arc again. It inspired me even further to keep going, so really, thank you all! I really appreciate all of you!<strong>

**Please keep supporting "Rainbow Shooter" as I hope to get better and better with my writing. You all mean so much to me, even the haters.**

**Much love, Aki~**


	27. The Original Storm

**Episode 27: The Original Storm  
><strong>**"She's a good girl; she loves her mama. She loves Jesus, and America too. She's a good girl. She's crazy 'bout Elvis. She loves horses, and her boyfriend, too."  
><strong>**-"Free Fallin'" by Tom Petty**

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><p>X G. X<p>

He still remembered the first day he met Nami. She was so young, and so was he. He was at the ball with the rest of the Vongola, which was what they'd decided to call themselves. They were just a band of vigilantes who protected the weak and made sure that the town was all right.

_G. sighed, taking another sip from the elegant wine glass. "You okay?" a voice asked. He looked up to see a girl with black hair, sipping wine as well, in a dress that fit her form perfectly. The grimace on her face told him that she didn't want to be there either. "You look like you want to get out of here."_

_He scoffed. "You bet I do. I hate formal shit like this. It's not really my scene." He shrugged, taking another sip of the wine. "What about you? You don't really look like you want to be here, either."_

_"Damn straight," she retorted, downing the rest of her drink in a very un-ladylike display. "My father runs this kind of thing. I hate it," she grumbled. "What's your name, stranger?"_

_Looking up at her, he replied, "G."_

_She raised on eyebrow. "That's it? No last name, just an initial?" He nodded, scanning the room for his boss. "Well, I guess it'll have to do. My name's Nami."_

_"No last name?" he mocked._

_Nami shook her head. "You get what you give, kid." She grabbed the expensive bottle of wine that was on the table and plopped into the seat next to G. Pouring herself another glass, she grunted, "I cannot wait for this thing to be over."_

_G. shrugged. "Live with it."_

_"Same to you." He smirked; he liked this girl. She was fun, easy to talk to, and hated this kind of get-together just as much as him. "Damn you, Daemon Spade," she muttered. "If you and Elena hadn't run off somewhere, I'd be out of here by now."_

_Scoffing, G. told her, "I think that happened to my boss, too. Knowing him, he's distracted himself with something or other."_

_She giggled a little, taking another sip. "Great boss you got, eh?"_

_"Despite his abandonment in this… hell, he's a great boss. He really is." She smiled a little. "Have you heard of the group called the Vongola?"_

_Nodding her head, Nami poured more wine into the empty glass and replied, "Yeah. They're that wicked awesome group of guys who protect people in need of help." She had an almost dreamy look in her eyes when she said that. "Why do you ask?"_

_He shrugged. "My boss is Giotto."_

_Her eyes widened. Everyone knew the name Giotto. He was the leader of the Vongola, and one of the most amazing fighters for justice that their little town had ever seen. "Wait… you're _that_ G., aren't you?"_

_"The one and only," he replied in an almost sing-song voice. "Nice to meet you, Nami." He held out his hand for her to shake._

G. sighed. They'd become rather close after that day. Nami had joined the Vongola with her childhood friend Daemon Spade. She'd become his closest female friend, and the only person G. had ever fallen in love with.

_"Nami." Said girl looked up from where she was sitting at the kitchen table. "I'm home." A bright smile overtook her face and she stood up. He opened his arms and embraced her tightly._

_She looked up patronizingly and said, "You said you'd only be five days, but it took you eight to come home. Did something happen?"_

_He sighed and pulled her closer, sitting on one of the chairs. "We ran into more resistance than we would've liked."_

_Nami looked really worried at this point. "Now that the Vongola has gotten this big, we're bound to meet more resistance than we would've liked. It's been two years since Elena died, and now we have more enemies than ever."_

_It was true; Elena, Daemon Spade's lover, had been murdered when another Mafia Family they'd managed to anger sometime in the past invaded the Vongola's newly acquired territory in Italy. She died fighting, but it wasn't enough._

_"I think the Vongola should step down," Nami finished hesitantly. "I think that we've gotten to big, and now, we're going to pay the price. We're part of the _Mafia_ now, G. I think we've gotten in way too deep now." G. looked at his lover in shock. "I know, I know, you and Giotto have put too much into this to give up now, but all I can ask is that you at least get the Vongola out of the Mafia."_

_G. sighed again, running his hand through his hair. "I know how you feel, but we really have to keep going. We're still the Vongola Family."_

She'd always stood by that, from there on. She wanted the Vongola to be taken down, since it put his life on the line every day. Finally, there was the betrayal. All of the things that had been happening for the next few years finally drove her to the edge, without her even knowing it.

_Daemon laughed darkly. "You don't even know, do you, Nami? You gave them doubt, and the seed of doubt was all I needed. You managed to tell them that the deaths of their friends were for nothing because of what happened."_

_G. growled a little, but kept fighting the Mafiosi as they neared him, taking them out with his archery._

_Nami was shaking, he knew that. "I did this?" she squeaked, sounding regretful and upset. "No…" G. slammed another arrow into a man's chest, before hearing Nami yell, "Giotto, look out!"_

_G. kept fighting, even when he heard a loud bang, coming from the gun. "G." He stopped fighting, looking over to Giotto. He didn't have to look far. The first thing he saw was Giotto leaning over Nami's bloody body. His eyes widened in horror and he ran over to the two of them._

_"What happened?" G. demanded softly, pulling her close to him. He was rewarded with a shake of the head from Giotto. "No… no, Nami, you can't leave me… Not you," he practically begged._

_G. was never a person to beg anyone for anything. But at this point, he'd do anything to keep her close to him. He'd even exchange his life for hers just so she'd live. He wouldn't be able to live without her. There was no way that he'd be able to go on if she wasn't there next to him._

_Her brown eyes opened weakly and she managed to say, "I'm sorry…" What was she apologizing for? G. didn't know if it was for dying or for betraying the Vongola. Her head lolled to the side and her eyes closed again._

_"No!" he shouted, pulling her even closer. He didn't care if she was bleeding on his shirt, all he cared about was the fact that the only person that he ever really, truly loved was dead, and she died with regret. A few tears slipped from the Storm Guardian's eyes, and he buried her head in his chest. "No, Nami… Nami, you can't leave. Please, please, please come back to me."_

_Giotto put a hand on his shoulders. "She's gone, G. I'm sorry… She died trying to protect me."_

_G. grabbed his bow and let his fingers curl around the wood. A dangerous glare took over his face. "Then we shouldn't let her sacrifice be in vain." He stood up and began to slaughter the men, with no remorse showing on his furious face. Giotto was staying with Nami's body, protecting her from anymore harm._

G. looked down at the Storm Guardian. Hayato Gokudera… he had a relationship with Najika that almost mirrored the relationship between himself and Nami. He just hoped that it wouldn't end in Najika's death.

He wouldn't allow his great, great, great granddaughter to be killed over something as trivial as a mistake. He sighed and whispered, "You're lucky, Hayato Gokudera. You can still make things right." The teen moved around in his sleep, and G. chuckled quietly. "Don't fuck up like I did."

Hayato Gokudera rolled over to face the Primo Guardian, his eyes still closed, and he muttered something that the Storm Guardian didn't quite catch. But he knew the movements of the mouth. He smiled at what the teenager was saying.

_Najika…_

G. smiled a little bit. He knew now that he would never leave her. He would never allow the descendent of the first Storm to be killed. He sighed, putting a hand on Hayato Gokudera's desk. A picture caught his eyes.

Najika was smiling at the camera, her eyes still glassy and unfocused. The boy had his arm around her, and was clearly holding up the camera. His face was lit up with a huge smile, his green eyes glowing with happiness. She made him so happy… and he made her happy, too.

Now G. knew that for sure, and he knew how many other people cared about Najika. That Varia boy, Belphegor, and the CEDEF operative, Basil cared about the Wave Guardian, too.

"So, you're making sure he'll never hurt her, aren't you?" G. turned to see Giotto watching him, then turned back to the desk that had three pictures of the boy and Najika. "You know he won't ever abandon her, you know that, right?"

The Storm Guardian nodded. "I know. I just wanted to make sure." He turned to face the Primo. "How long have you known? About… Nami… and Najika…?" he asked, looking his boss straight in the eyes.

Giotto smiled softly. "Since I first laid eyes on her. She had the same look in her eyes as you did when you were her age. She has the best traits of both you and Nami. Nami's eyes and her beauty, as well as her maternal instincts. Your fighting style and your temper."

G. chuckled. "I'm not sure if that last one is a good thing or a bad thing."

"True."

Looking back out the window, G. asked, "Primo… do I have your word that I can look after her?"

Primo nodded firmly. "Yes, G. You have my word that we will do everything in our power to make sure she has a great life." G. smiled a little, turning away to hide it. "You don't have to hide your smile. I won't ever reveal that you have this side to you, G. You have my word on that, too."

Scoffing, G. retorted sarcastically, "Thanks." Giotto sent him a stern look, and G. sighed. "I know, I know… I can't keep this secret forever. She's bound to find out, but I want to keep it hidden from her for as long as I can."

The Vongola Primo smiled a little. "I understand why you don't want to tell her about this." He looked out the window, up to the stars. "I also understand how she'd most likely react."

G. nodded, agreeing with him. "Yeah, probably because she's never known her real family. These guys, the Decimo Family, are all she really has. I just hope that they'll never abandon her."

"Do you want her to regain her memories of her first ten years?" Giotto asked quietly. He couldn't do that at the moment, but he could sure as hell find a way. He wasn't the Vongola Primo for nothing, after all. G. looked away, biting his lip. "It's perfectly fine if you say yes, you know."

Looking back to his boss, G. replied, "Yes, and no. There're certain memories that she shouldn't know, or they'll tear her apart. I know that much. I just want her to remember her family."

The boss looked down to the sleeping Decimo Guardian. "This is her family, G. She deserves a little more time to make new memories with them before she learns who she is." G. nodded in a silent agreement. "It's time to go, G. We should've gone back to the Rings hours ago. Everyone else is waiting."

Both of the Primo Family Guardians looked up, their Flames engulfing what was left of them. The red Flame flew back into the Storm Ring on the boy's finger, while Giotto's flew out the window, back to Tsunayoshi Sawada and the Sky Ring. It was peaceful once more.

G. knew that he wouldn't be able to protect Najika from the world, but he was going to try.

* * *

><p><strong>Welcome back to all my old readers, and hello to all my new readers!<strong>

**I don't know if any of you are still reading this, but thank you for a thousand years! I'm going to do my best to continue this story~ I'm going to do my best forever and ever! I'm so sorry for taking so long, but - and I know that this is no excuse - I'm preparing my portfolio to send off to different art schools. My top choice is SAIC, for sure. I'm so excited and so nervous, and I'm preparing a novel to send in as part of my portfolio and maybe send it off for publishing.**

**Wish me luck guys, and please forgive me for taking so long to update!**

**Love and kisses!**


	28. Back to the Future

**Episode 28: Back to the Future  
>"With every step you climb another mountain, every breath it gets harder to believe. You make it through the pain, weather the hurricanes… To get to that one thing. Just when you think the road is going nowhere, just when you almost gave up all your dreams. They take you by the hand and show you that you can… There are no boundaries."<br>-"No Boundaries" by Kris Allen/Adam Lambert**

* * *

><p>X Hayato Gokudera X<p>

He was the first one at the Namimori Shrine. Or so he thought. Hibari was sitting on the steps next to Najika, who looked like she hadn't gotten a wink of sleep and like she'd been crying. In her hands was a golden pocket watch. Hibari didn't seem to care about her well-being, but was looking a little upset himself.

By "upset," Gokudera meant "angry."

He walked over to Najika and put a hand on her head. She looked up to see him and smiled. "Oh, hey, Hayato." Hibari looked up before scoffing and moving away. Gokudera gave the Disciplinary Committee head a glare before looking back at the brunette.

"Something wrong, Najika?" he asked, sitting down next to her. She shook her head, holding onto the watch tighter. "Is that a gift from them?" he asked, referring to the Primo Family.

She nodded, looking down at it. "It was _hers_, but they've decided to entrust it to me. I should feel happy that this is their parting gift to me, but I can't help but miss them. They were all… such a huge help."

Gokudera looked over at Najika and asked, "Even Daemon Spade?"

She bit her lip, but nodded. "His task helped me mature the most. I finally figured out that I have to protect myself as well as everyone else." She looked up, leaning on both of her hands. "And I figured out why I have to stay strong." Hayato gazed at her, realizing how much older the look in her eyes was. It was no longer the look of a regular teenage girl, but of a woman who'd faced many trials in her life. He reached for her hand, grasping it tightly. She let her head fall to his shoulder and whispered, "Thank you."

He smiled lightly, "You're welcome, Najika." He stood when Yamamoto showed up. Then Chrome, and then Turf-top and the girls, and finally, Juudaime with the stupid cow, I-Pin, Reborn and Yuni.

"Everyone… let's go," Juudaime declared. Everyone agreed wholeheartedly, and soon enough, they were back in the future, where only ten minutes had passed. The real battle was just beginning.

X Basil X

They were back. Basil stood immediately and ran up to Najika.

"I was worried that something would happen!" he exclaimed, taking her hands in his. Sure, it'd only been around ten minutes since they left, but ever since, he'd been working on making a "Welcome Back" breakfast or lunch for them. Although, he'd only gotten to make toast…

Najika's bright smile answered his concern. "No need to worry, Basil-kun. We're all fine, but thanks for worrying about us." A worried-looking Gokudera-dono put a hand on her shoulder, and she smiled up at him, defusing his worried features. She turned back to Basil and asked, "Are you cooking?"

He smiled sheepishly and replied, "Well, I was going to try and prepare as much as I could, but I could not prepare enough in time."

The Wave Guardian smiled again. "Come on, then! I'll help you out!" She turned to Chrome and the other girls and asked, "Why don't we all go help Basil-kun in the kitchen?" They agreed, and Basil gave Sawada-dono a look.

They didn't have very long to prepare for the Funeral Wreaths attack. A few hours at the most.

The kitchen was silent. Even Kyoko and Haru seemed to know that they had little time to prepare for the attack that was bound to come. Chrome was solemn, and Najika wasn't looking at anyone, her cheery attitude from before gone.

Basil stopped mid-cut and put a hand on Najika's shoulder. "Najika-chan." She looked up at him from where she was putting everything into the lunchboxes for the Guardians. Her eyes were dancing with so many emotions that Basil found it hard to see them all. But the ones he did see were the ones he was feeling, too.

Fear. Worry. Anger. Pain.

There weren't very many "happy" emotions in her eyes. She was really upset about this battle, and even with the amount of training she had, she didn't know what the Funeral Wreaths were capable of.

The young CEDEF agent sent a smile at his friend. "Everything will be all right. Sawada-dono is sure to win against Byakuran." His eyes flared with determination, sparing another glance at Najika. "We shall all be able to go back to the past!"

"I know that." She removed a small watch from her pocket. It fit in the palm of her hand, and Basil noticed the symbol of the Vongola engraved in the front of it. "I just… I have a feeling that no matter who wins, I'm losing a part of my future."

Then it clicked in his head; the future Najika and Byakuran were apparently good friends from college.

"Najika-chan…"

She then looked up at him, smiling, but tears in the corners of her eyes. "There's no need to cry, right? Because no matter who wins, I'll still have the others. I hope that we can end this without having to actually kill them…"

Basil's eyes widened. "We would never kill them!"

Shaking her head, she replied, "I know, I know, but they're strong, and at points, the only way to win is to totally defeat your opponent." She opened the watch in her hand, and the two friends were vaguely aware of the other three in the kitchen watching them worriedly. "They've all suffered so much, and they were human. I don't want them to suffer more. With Shoichi-kun hurt and Yuni in danger, I don't think we'll get out alive if we allow them to go."

His hand retracted from her shoulder, and his blue eyes widened. Her eyes betrayed nothing now. They only told him that everything she said to him was true. "I will never allow anything to happen to any of thee."

Najika suddenly stood up, her eyes downcast. "I should go. Squalo's probably waiting for me to report back to Xanxus… and Fran's going to be disappointed that I couldn't come with him, and Bel…" she chuckled, "he's going to be throwing another temper tantrum, but I think I can handle it." She stood up. "Chrome, can you handle packing everything in?"

The blue-haired girl nodded. "Sure."

Basil watched sadly as she stumbled out of the room.

X Najika Kamiya X

"Well, I guess you did good," Xanxus grumbled. "But why are you reporting to me?"

I fiddled with my thumbs. "Well, I just thought, since Squalo called me over, you'd want to know that we were both okay…"

He scoffed. "I'm not your boss, Onda." I stopped, and looked up. "Tsunayoshi Sawada is your boss, and the Varia is an extension of your team. I'm eating now, so just know that we're going to make it."

I nodded. "I'll tell him now." I cut the connection and slipped my hand into my pocket, where the Vongola Watch was. I kept running my hand over the etching as I made my way to where they were sure to be eating now, bumping into Squalo on the way. When I knocked on the doorframe, everyone looked up. "Tsuna-kun, reinforcements are on their way. They asked me to tell you that. See you later."

I could feel Tsuna's worried stare on my back as I made my way to the control room. Spanner looked up. "You should go eat, Najika." Scoffing, I picked up one of his sandwiches.

I sat across from him and asked, "You see anything yet?"

"We've got something on the radar!" Giannini announced.

Spanner gazed at the monitor and sighed. "And that ends the calm before the storm." I bit my lip and slipped my hand into my pocket again. Whenever I held that watch, it gave me a sense of security. Instead of pulling out the watch, I pulled out a box. It was a Box Weapon, for sure. It was like you could see inside it, where a group of seven Flames were dancing, but you couldn't see what was on the other side of the box. I turned it in my hands, examining it.

Was this from the Primo Family? I looked back to the screen and gasped. What was that machine?! "Th-They're here!" Spanner exclaimed.

Giannini pulled up his microphone and yelled into it, "This is an emergency transmission! This is an emergency transmission! Please assemble in the conference room at once!"

Not five minutes later, Tsuna, Hayato, Ryohei, Chrome, Basil, and Takeshi ran into the conference room. "What is it?" Tsuna asked, running in.

"The teleportation system is back!" Spanner explained.

Tsuna looked taken aback. "Eh? Already?!" I gasped as several lights flew in different directions, then the teleportation system exploded. One of them was heading for Namimori Middle!

Takeshi pointed out, "Something just scattered in four directions."

"But why was there an explosion?"

Basil cut in, "The teleportation system must have been on the verge of breaking down. So it failed to land and blew up instead." My head started to ache as an emergency alarm sounded. I clenched my fists.

I took out the radio that would allow the Varia to speak to one another. "Squalo, pick up damnit!" The radio buzzed with static, but there was no answer. "Squalo? Squalo, what's happening?!" Still no answer. "Shit!" I cursed. "Giannini, let me use that microphone." I put it near my mouth and practically yelled, "Squalo, get your stupid ass to the conference room now! It's a real emergency!" I stood up and looked my friends in the eyes. "Get moving. I'll find Squalo and get out."

I ran through the halls, Tsuna and the others departing other ways. The base was shaking, and everything was blowing up. I looked around for the silver-haired man. After a while, I found him screaming at the video screen. He'd been cut off from his chat. "Squalo, did you hear me?" I demanded.

He whirled around and snapped, "Do you think I did?! What's going on?!" I quickly explained the situation to him. He nodded determinedly, raising his sword hand. "Let's get moving."

We finally caught up with Tsuna and the others. "Voi! What is this?" Right as he said that, something behind us exploded. I turned around to see the Storm Funeral Wreath in all his glory.

Zakuro.

I lit up my Ring, preparing for a fight. "Idjit. Found you now, Yuni-sama." He'd found this base completely by accident. As I lifted up my Clear Box, I put my Ring into it, injecting Flames into whatever was inside. Nothing happened, though. I tried again as Hayato and Takeshi stepped up with their Flames lit up, too.

Squalo's arm blocked us and he said, "You guys can't do anything here. Take Yuni and get out of here."

I grabbed onto his arm. "No way! I'm not leaving you to die."

He looked down and snapped, "Don't you understand?! You're already under attack!" That's when I saw it. There were Storm Flames being emitted from Zakuro's Ring, only to be blocked by Squalo's Rain Flames. I bit my lip.

"Fine, Squalo… but if you get your stupid ass killed, I swear, I'll bring you back you and kill you myself." I turned away, opening my Vongola Box and having the belt of my Box Weapons around my waist. "Where's Kaito?"

I hadn't seen him since we got back. Basil stepped up, "Najika-chan, he's in his room." I opened Chiarore's Box and flew to Kaito's room. He was standing outside, looking dazed and confused.

Flying past, I swept the boy into my arms. "Kaito, prepare yourself. We're in big danger, and everything you know about the Mafia is going to be tested." He looked sleepy, and I bit my lip. "Sleep now, baby boy."

I flew out right behind Tsuna, putting Chiarore back in its Box. "Is he okay?" Hayato asked, taking him from my arms. I sighed.

"Yes, he's fine. Just sleepy."

I looked up, clenching my fists. This battle was only just beginning. We couldn't go back to the base, and now, the Funeral Wreaths were all over, probably watching. There was nowhere that we could hide anymore. Everywhere that we had was either already being watched or had been torn down.

We decided to split into several groups, but as soon as we did, the door of the base blew up. I gaped. "Squalo!"

"Voi… This will be over earlier than I expected." I stopped in my tracks. I could hear the disguised pain in his voice, even if it was only a little. But if it was enough pain for me to be able to hear it…

Squalo was as good as dead.

"Take Yuni and run as far away from the base as you can!" he ordered.

I growled. "Who the fuck do you think you are, Squalo?! I'm not abandoning you!"

He spat, "We had this discussion before! Get away! You have a future, kid. If you die here, all of the Varia's protection of _you_ would've been for nothing!" Protection of me? "One last thing, Onda." I froze, and felt myself beginning to cry. That nickname, even as he was facing death. "Kick their asses for me."

My head lowered, and I swear, I stopped breathing for a minute. Squalo, the brave swordsman, was dying. I stood shakily. "You heard him. Leave, Tsuna-kun. There's something I need to do." I kissed Kaito's forehead and muttered, "Sorry, Kai. This is the only choice I can really make."

Lighting up my Ring, I opened all of my Box Weapons. "You're going to try and buy us time, too?" Reborn asked solemnly.

I nodded, feeling Nove on my shoulder and Frusta at my legs. "I'm not losing anyone else. The Wave is something that allows what it feels to create its power. I can feel what I want, but right now? I feel nothing. Just hatred… and that is my power. I hate these Funeral Wreaths, and I hate that they stole my big brother away from me. I hate that Squalo got his stupid ass killed, and I hate that I couldn't do a damn thing!" Everyone paused. "But what I hate most is seeing the people I love dying in front of me. I won't let them die anymore."

"I'm not leaving you here," Tsuna protested weakly.

My dangerous look dropped at Tsuna's puppy dog eyes. "Look, Tsuna-kun… I appreciate that, but I'm a Vongola Guardian. I will do what it takes to make sure that the Vongola survives. Get out of here, while I hold off Zakuro. If I get a chance, I'll catch up with you later." I sent a smile at him. "Thanks for everything, Tsuna-kun."

I turned back, and caught Vento's Scythe Form. Yuni was the last chance we had to get home. I wouldn't die here, not in the future, damn it. I had too much at stake, but if I didn't fight, there'd be even more to lose. And I wouldn't lose to Byakuran, especially not at my own game.

* * *

><p><strong>And we're almost finished! After a good three or four years now (OTL) Rainbow Shooter is nearing the end. ;o;<strong>

**Seriously guys, you're amazing. Thank you all for sticking with me for so long. We only have six more chapters until we say goodbye to Gokudera and Najika. I'm really glad so many people have responded positively!**

**Please leave a review if you like it, it means a lot to me!**

**XOXO**


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